Hey everyone. 2022 marked a turning point in my relationship to media, and that makes the start of a new year exciting. 2023 is where I interact with my hobby having built a new sense of media literacy and knowledge, and I'm interested to know how I'll think about seasonal anime given all the time I spent writing about the media I experienced this year. That being said, the nature of these first impressions lists aren't changing a single bit. As always, I'll be trying out at least one episode of nearly every single Winter 2023 seasonal anime. I will only be excluding sequels to shows I haven't caught up to, and a few adaptations of video games I want to play and not be spoiled on (so Nier and Trails of Cold Steel). I'll be explaining my thoughts on each of them here, and I'll rank them as well. As always, I want to advise everyone to not focus too much on my rankings, given that this is a first impression of a single episode. If you saw my best of 2022 list, you'll see that my favorites differed greatly from my first impressions, and that is unlikely to change here. I will, of course, also be coming up with very appropriately named categories to sort all these shows under. The new year has waited for no one and neither will I, so here are my first impressions of Winter 2023's seasonal anime offerings.
Was Anime Supposed to be This Boring?
The Ice Guy and His Cool Female Colleague
Atmosphere is a tough thing to get right. It involves a combination of so many elements in a production, the music, lighting, direction, voice acting, color, and more all have to come together to create a general vibe. This series attempts a low-key adult romance, crafting its vibe around the idea of two people who don't outwardly show much emotion but show empathy towards each other. But unfortunately, its production falters far too much for it to elicit any strong sense of tone. It sets itself up for cinematic lighting but lacks the digital effects and detailed shadows needed to make that work. Its characters stand out from the background art in a distracting manner, and said background art is ugly and bland. Its music is fine but certainly not strong enough to make for effective tone setting. So what we get is a few interactions between two characters who have soft personalities, but they unfortunately have zero romantic chemistry. Unfortunately, I don't think that two mostly stoic people make for a very interesting couple, since there's no shift in emotion or natural banter between different personalities. There's a reason why so many romances center themselves around one outgoing character and one shy or stoic one: that combination of different dynamics is what makes for dynamic romance. Thus, I feel like this series somewhat screws itself from its very premise.
All of that aside, Fuyutsuki and Himuro pretty much just repeat the exact same interaction four different times this premiere and it's boring as hell. Fuyutsuki does something kind to Himuro, Himuro thinks she's kind and pretty, and then he shoots out some kind of snow to show his excitement. I feel like making Himuro the descendant of a snow women was an attempt to fix the issue I listed above, by exaggerating at least one of the main character's reactions. But this ends up being its gimmick and its only gag, one which ends up getting old the second time I see it. Beyond that, the dialogue itself is rote and lacking in personality, and I barely have any sense of these characters personalities beyond being stoic and kind; not to mention that it's presented to me via monologue before watching them do the same things a bunch of times. There was one scene where a character said "that sounds like Himuro" in response to something he did, but I never had any impression that this was something he would have done because the series gave me no sense of his deeper personality: his wants, his tendencies, his fears, anything worthwhile or interesting beyond "stoic but easily excited on the inside." Unfortunately, I have no desire to watch this gimmick play out for another 11 episodes. When a side character with barely a minute of screen time has more personality than the main protagonists of a romance, I can take that as a sign that this one isn't for me.
Chillin' in My 30's After Getting Fired from the Demon King's Army
The Iceblade Sorcerer Shall Rule the World
All of that aside, Fuyutsuki and Himuro pretty much just repeat the exact same interaction four different times this premiere and it's boring as hell. Fuyutsuki does something kind to Himuro, Himuro thinks she's kind and pretty, and then he shoots out some kind of snow to show his excitement. I feel like making Himuro the descendant of a snow women was an attempt to fix the issue I listed above, by exaggerating at least one of the main character's reactions. But this ends up being its gimmick and its only gag, one which ends up getting old the second time I see it. Beyond that, the dialogue itself is rote and lacking in personality, and I barely have any sense of these characters personalities beyond being stoic and kind; not to mention that it's presented to me via monologue before watching them do the same things a bunch of times. There was one scene where a character said "that sounds like Himuro" in response to something he did, but I never had any impression that this was something he would have done because the series gave me no sense of his deeper personality: his wants, his tendencies, his fears, anything worthwhile or interesting beyond "stoic but easily excited on the inside." Unfortunately, I have no desire to watch this gimmick play out for another 11 episodes. When a side character with barely a minute of screen time has more personality than the main protagonists of a romance, I can take that as a sign that this one isn't for me.
Kubo Won't Let me Be Invisible
It's been a while since I've seen a show so utterly incapable of understanding the trend that it's clearly chasing after. Kubo Won't Let me Be Invisible is an obvious Takagi-san clone but has fundamentally failed to understand what makes that series dynamic so endearing and engaging. Like its predecessor, Kubo is about the relationship between a quiet kid and a cute girl who likes to tease him because she likes him. Shiraishi is invisible to basically everyone, but Kubo is the only one who easily notices him, making them a good match. This surefire premise fails for two major reasons. The first is that Shiraishi has absolutely zero personality. He's supposed to be invisible, but invisible doesn't mean bland. You don't get to be like Takagi-san without a good character in Nishikata's place, he's half the formula. Shiraishi isn't a character, he's a gimmick. He's invisible and has no real feelings towards it, and that's all I know about him. His invisibility is so comical that I can't even suspend my disbelief for it. It's not a metaphor for lacking presence or charisma, he is literally invisible much of the time. A convenience story employee doesn't see him paying until he speaks, people don't realize he's in class and think he's been absent for half a year, people handing out tissues don't realize he's standing right in front of them, etc.. This gimmick doesn't operate on any rules or logic beyond "people will notice eventually if he acts crazy enough," it just does whatever the joke needs, which makes it feel tacked on and uninteresting. These gimmicks work best as character driven traits. A romance centered around a cute girl helping him to become more noticeable fails if he's not noticed because of magic, since his eventual improvement can't even be said to be his fault.
But speaking of said cute girl, the biggest failing of this series is that its title character is straight up unlikable. Takagi-san's Takagi is a tease, but it never veers into the area of bullying. She never does anything Nishikata asks her to not do, she never goes too far past his boundaries. On the other hand, Kubo takes an incriminating picture of Shiraishi and uses it to blackmail him into doing something embarrassing in class for her amusement when he says he doesn't want too. Later in the episode, he says he doesn't want to be called on to answer questions in class, and Kubo gets the teacher's attention so that Shiraishi has to answer it anyway, much to his dismay. Sure, the show plays it off as if it's cute teasing, we know Kubo is well meaning and that Shiraishi doesn't really mind, but as a dynamic I just can't find it cute or funny. Kubo does mean stuff and gets away with it because Shiraishi is too bland to give a shit about anything, that's essentially the dynamic and I don't like it. But sometimes, Kubo looks into the camera and gives a pretty and smug face, and KanaHana performs with her usual sweet voice, so I'm sure people are going to eat it up. The character art is admittedly very lovely, Pine Jam always seems to put out great work. For me though, its main characters don't work nearly well enough to invest in, as much as I enjoy the series nice artwork and music.
But speaking of said cute girl, the biggest failing of this series is that its title character is straight up unlikable. Takagi-san's Takagi is a tease, but it never veers into the area of bullying. She never does anything Nishikata asks her to not do, she never goes too far past his boundaries. On the other hand, Kubo takes an incriminating picture of Shiraishi and uses it to blackmail him into doing something embarrassing in class for her amusement when he says he doesn't want too. Later in the episode, he says he doesn't want to be called on to answer questions in class, and Kubo gets the teacher's attention so that Shiraishi has to answer it anyway, much to his dismay. Sure, the show plays it off as if it's cute teasing, we know Kubo is well meaning and that Shiraishi doesn't really mind, but as a dynamic I just can't find it cute or funny. Kubo does mean stuff and gets away with it because Shiraishi is too bland to give a shit about anything, that's essentially the dynamic and I don't like it. But sometimes, Kubo looks into the camera and gives a pretty and smug face, and KanaHana performs with her usual sweet voice, so I'm sure people are going to eat it up. The character art is admittedly very lovely, Pine Jam always seems to put out great work. For me though, its main characters don't work nearly well enough to invest in, as much as I enjoy the series nice artwork and music.
Farming Life in Another World
Why do so many isekai love to make their first episodes just about a guy who does stuff and dryly narrates it? Does anyone think this is fun to watch? Farming Life in Another World is about a guy who died, got reincarnated into another world with a magical farming tool, and spends all his time doing generic farming stuff. And when I say that's it, I really mean it. He digs a ditch to find water and monologues about how he's digging a ditch to find water. And he does other mundane tasks and narrates them too. It's not good narration, he literally just says "I'm doing X thing for X reason," no personality or charisma to his inner world. Things that cause progress tend to just happen conveniently but at random, and the closest thing this episode has to conflict - the appearance of a pregnant wolf and her husband who are both injured - gets "solved" with zero drama; he just sleeps and then wakes up to see kids, and voila, now he has a bunch of farm dogs. This episode is just a nothing burger, there is almost zero appeal here; no interesting characters, no sense of atmosphere, very little good humor, no struggle to improve, it has nothing. It's so nothing that I can't even really call it "bad," because there's practically nothing of substance I can criticize. It's just... boring.
That being said, Ice Guy was also boring but at least that had pretty character art and a cute premise, so why do I have this one higher than it? The reason is that this show's directing is actually somewhat thoughtful, and shows the quirks of its director. Apparently they really enjoy first person POV shots, given the numerous bizarre uses of them we get here (such as one shot where he looks up at the sky in the morning, introducing the fact that there are two moons we can see during the day time), alongside a few art style changes (both for chibi cutaways and the god character who reincarnates the protagonist) and generally nice art direction. I also kind of found one joke funny, which is when the god has to call another god to get permission for something, and he just holds his hand out like there's a phone there and dials into nothing. It was such a bizarre gag that I couldn't help but chuckle. And I guess the animal creatures are pretty cute and cool, and I appreciate them glossing over MC's backstory and generally not having a ton of exposition. But as you can see, I'm grasping at straws here. A show with barely anything in it to either praise or criticize is simply not worth anyone's time.
That being said, Ice Guy was also boring but at least that had pretty character art and a cute premise, so why do I have this one higher than it? The reason is that this show's directing is actually somewhat thoughtful, and shows the quirks of its director. Apparently they really enjoy first person POV shots, given the numerous bizarre uses of them we get here (such as one shot where he looks up at the sky in the morning, introducing the fact that there are two moons we can see during the day time), alongside a few art style changes (both for chibi cutaways and the god character who reincarnates the protagonist) and generally nice art direction. I also kind of found one joke funny, which is when the god has to call another god to get permission for something, and he just holds his hand out like there's a phone there and dials into nothing. It was such a bizarre gag that I couldn't help but chuckle. And I guess the animal creatures are pretty cute and cool, and I appreciate them glossing over MC's backstory and generally not having a ton of exposition. But as you can see, I'm grasping at straws here. A show with barely anything in it to either praise or criticize is simply not worth anyone's time.
Chillin' in My 30's After Getting Fired from the Demon King's Army
Is this "the main character gets kicked out of their party for being considered useless even though they're secretly amazing" trope suddenly starting to become a trend? I feel like I'm starting to see a few of these each season. This one is even already innovating on the trope by having the protagonist get fired from the Demon King's army, and thus having to interact with humans for the first time. Its biggest hook is the notion that our protagonist has been fed demon army propaganda for his entire life and is afraid that humans are out to get him, but is clearly going to realize how wrong he was upon interacting with actual humans. The fact that it follows a 30 year old protagonist is also a bit unique. I definitely think these aspects of the story gives this show an edge over some of its competition. It also has some nice art direction in places, though its animation is absolutely lackluster and I've honestly never seen a bigger disparity between how the show looks and how the OP looks in my life.
Pretty much every other aspect of the show is thoroughly mediocre though. Dariel has some personality but it isn't a particularly interesting or likable one, while heroine Malika feels completely one-note. Malika is particularly egregious because she really feels like she's here purely so we can have a fanservice character for our protagonist to ogle, her outfit exists solely to have her cleavage out and the camera will never miss an opportunity to get that cleavage in the shot. There's a magic system that's vaguely kinda like Hunter x Hunter's Nen category system, but without all of the complexity, limitations, and characterization that comes with Nen. Plus, Dariel is proficient at all of the categories, so it's extra boring. Given the premise of "chilling" in a small town, it also doesn't have much in the way of atmosphere, and its attempts at comedy are lukewarm at best. It's ultimately just kind of watchable, but I don't feel like watching more.
Pretty much every other aspect of the show is thoroughly mediocre though. Dariel has some personality but it isn't a particularly interesting or likable one, while heroine Malika feels completely one-note. Malika is particularly egregious because she really feels like she's here purely so we can have a fanservice character for our protagonist to ogle, her outfit exists solely to have her cleavage out and the camera will never miss an opportunity to get that cleavage in the shot. There's a magic system that's vaguely kinda like Hunter x Hunter's Nen category system, but without all of the complexity, limitations, and characterization that comes with Nen. Plus, Dariel is proficient at all of the categories, so it's extra boring. Given the premise of "chilling" in a small town, it also doesn't have much in the way of atmosphere, and its attempts at comedy are lukewarm at best. It's ultimately just kind of watchable, but I don't feel like watching more.
The Iceblade Sorcerer Shall Rule the World
Skimming through staff info for this show was like a surreal dream. Long title, light novel, action, fantasy, and school listed as genres, the quintessential makings of generic battle harem. But what really fucked me up about this on was seeing the studio Cloud Hearts, realizing I've never heard of it, and then seeing that this show is their only production and all the staff are newbies. Where do all these new studios keep popping up from? The industry is already oversaturated, dammit. I guess a narou-kei light novel adaptation is an instantly safe bet with which to use as your first production. And man, is this show ever generic. An OP main character who's the only commoner at an academy for people from specific noble lineages, where everyone hates him except a few hot women, and also he's trusted by the academy staff for having fought in a war or something, it's all the same stuff. The episode is essentially a long exposition dump about this class divide and the magic system. And the production values are about as garbage as you'd expect.
What makes this show interesting is mostly how charmingly obvious it is that it was written by a passionate amateur. It's magic system is a strange combination of both magic, chemistry, and magical computer code, where the types of elements are "solids, liquids, gasses, and plasma" because the author obviously didn't have the knowledge to make anything more scientific than basic high school chemistry. Its sense of tone is all over the place, it has a dark and edgy cold open but then the protagonist makes his first friend when he's randomly invited to a room by some guy and they bond over... being buff? This episode really finds its stride in the second half, where it has a few moments of genuine humanity and silly humor, bolstered by the fact that the protagonist actually has a personality. He bonds with an elf girl who, like him, is misunderstood and made fun of due to her lineage while also being extremely smart and capable. They're both interested in the same scientist and bond over it, it's actually pretty sweet. And then he makes friends with a girl who stakes her legacy on her twin tails because he says the twin tails are cute, and then she has an over-the-top reaction that makes the show's only well animated set piece and its best moment of comedy. And hell, what most impressed me about this show is that the background characters actually had distinct designs, you never see stuff like that. This show is all over the place and mostly pretty boring, but it does have charm points. Anyway, that's a lot to say about a show that can be summed up as "mediocre not-quite-an-isekai." It's exactly what you see on the tin, and anyone who might enjoy it will probably know just by looking at it. I am not that person though.
What makes this show interesting is mostly how charmingly obvious it is that it was written by a passionate amateur. It's magic system is a strange combination of both magic, chemistry, and magical computer code, where the types of elements are "solids, liquids, gasses, and plasma" because the author obviously didn't have the knowledge to make anything more scientific than basic high school chemistry. Its sense of tone is all over the place, it has a dark and edgy cold open but then the protagonist makes his first friend when he's randomly invited to a room by some guy and they bond over... being buff? This episode really finds its stride in the second half, where it has a few moments of genuine humanity and silly humor, bolstered by the fact that the protagonist actually has a personality. He bonds with an elf girl who, like him, is misunderstood and made fun of due to her lineage while also being extremely smart and capable. They're both interested in the same scientist and bond over it, it's actually pretty sweet. And then he makes friends with a girl who stakes her legacy on her twin tails because he says the twin tails are cute, and then she has an over-the-top reaction that makes the show's only well animated set piece and its best moment of comedy. And hell, what most impressed me about this show is that the background characters actually had distinct designs, you never see stuff like that. This show is all over the place and mostly pretty boring, but it does have charm points. Anyway, that's a lot to say about a show that can be summed up as "mediocre not-quite-an-isekai." It's exactly what you see on the tin, and anyone who might enjoy it will probably know just by looking at it. I am not that person though.
Technocroid: Overmind
You ever wanted to see an apocalyptic sci-fi male idol tournament arc anime? Well congratulations, you got your wish. This show is a bizarre clusterfuck of seemingly unfitting elements, I'm kind of not even sure where to begin. It takes place in a near future earth where the apocalypse is beginning. Climate change has made it so that numerous mainland areas have flooded, and it's also so hot outside that humans have to wear special heat resistant capes to not die of heat stroke. Sentient humanoid androids have fairly recently come to exist and have relative human level intelligence and qualities, but also can be more advanced, while less developed androids are more common. Our main characters are a group of four androids who live in a house together, but weren't programmed to pay their electricity bills and now have to find money so they don't shut down. They decide to enter the "Babel," an idol performance tournament that pays you the higher you make it up the "tower." They also meet a child who's adoptive father died and is trying to recover lost memories. And finally, there are hints of an android uprising of some kind, with the insane, absolutely wild, and tonally incongruent post-credits scene involving something I refuse to spoil. Honestly, please watch this episode just to see the last 2 minutes, it's the last thing you'd ever expect.
So uh, yeah, this one is a lot. Unfortunately, it's hit-or-miss with each individual element. The worldbuilding is serviceable but generally underplayed, and the androids kind of just don't make any sense. They can lose their heads but still move and talk normally, they've all been programmed to react to "code words" of some kind, and they can't do any actions unless they have been given a specific request to do so. That last one is particularly ridiculous given the fact that they're being housed but weren't programmed to pay for utilities, it's an annoying plot device that allows it to be reasonable for them to not do basic, obvious things. They also say things that imply they're robotic and don't understand human nuances, and yet each of them has a distinct personality, unique interests, and human-like mannerisms that don't fit with that characterization. I'm kind of thinking that idol stories that rely so much on fundamentally likable characters are incompatible with inhuman robots. Thankfully, the cast of pretty boy robots are likable enough, and the musical performances are actually pretty nicely handled (well, apart from the fact that the robots hummed a song and then somehow manifested lyrics after saying that they don't understand performance); idol performance CGI has truly come a long way. I won't say there's no intrigue or appeal here, but this is a series that just wants to do so much and hasn't put much thought into the way its unique elements interact. I'm willing to bet that many of these elements, especially some of the darker implications, won't be explored here at all since that makes for a great hook for the inevitable phone game. So this show is definitely interesting, but I don't feel the need to watch any more personally.
While it doesn't do anything fundamentally awful, what mostly makes it mediocre is that it's just poorly paced and presented. Its opening scene is a minutes long cold open of Hyouma watching his siblings sentimentally send him off as they die, while all the colors on screen are inverted because... it's edgy and cool I guess? It looks awful and instantly turned me away from the show, but its blatant expository dialogue and the drag of a fight scene at the end of the episode don't do it any favors. There's also one guy who just doesn't have a mouth, I have no idea why that exists often enough to be a trope but I hate it every time it appears. All in all, the core narrative is bland, and the execution had tons of little things to turn me away. If you're looking for a show about Japanese monsters and gods, there are far better offerings this season.
So uh, yeah, this one is a lot. Unfortunately, it's hit-or-miss with each individual element. The worldbuilding is serviceable but generally underplayed, and the androids kind of just don't make any sense. They can lose their heads but still move and talk normally, they've all been programmed to react to "code words" of some kind, and they can't do any actions unless they have been given a specific request to do so. That last one is particularly ridiculous given the fact that they're being housed but weren't programmed to pay for utilities, it's an annoying plot device that allows it to be reasonable for them to not do basic, obvious things. They also say things that imply they're robotic and don't understand human nuances, and yet each of them has a distinct personality, unique interests, and human-like mannerisms that don't fit with that characterization. I'm kind of thinking that idol stories that rely so much on fundamentally likable characters are incompatible with inhuman robots. Thankfully, the cast of pretty boy robots are likable enough, and the musical performances are actually pretty nicely handled (well, apart from the fact that the robots hummed a song and then somehow manifested lyrics after saying that they don't understand performance); idol performance CGI has truly come a long way. I won't say there's no intrigue or appeal here, but this is a series that just wants to do so much and hasn't put much thought into the way its unique elements interact. I'm willing to bet that many of these elements, especially some of the darker implications, won't be explored here at all since that makes for a great hook for the inevitable phone game. So this show is definitely interesting, but I don't feel the need to watch any more personally.
This is What "Mid" Actually Looks Like
Malevolent Spirits: Mononogatari
Hmm, should I go with the "ha, you thought it was another Monogatari series" or the "damn, is this where Eren Yaeger wondered after attacking the titans" as the obvious and generic joke to open up this segment on? Call me out on those shitty gags all you want, but I hate to inform you that this show isn't any less bland or generic by comparison. It follows a boy who hates tsukumogami (small gods who accidentally get trapped in and take the form of inanimate objects) because they killed his siblings, who gets sent to live with a household made of 5 tsukumogami and their human master in order to learn that tsukumogami aren't all inherently evil. Seems like it'll have some shounen style monster hunting (though this is based on a seinen manga, albeit one published in a Jump associated magazine) as well as some light comedy and maybe romance. Ere... er, Hyouma has a straightforward personality nearly entirely defined by being stubborn and hating tsukumogami, and we get so little of every other character that I struggle to find myself giving a shit. Everything about this is just a bland take on something I've seen a million times.
While it doesn't do anything fundamentally awful, what mostly makes it mediocre is that it's just poorly paced and presented. Its opening scene is a minutes long cold open of Hyouma watching his siblings sentimentally send him off as they die, while all the colors on screen are inverted because... it's edgy and cool I guess? It looks awful and instantly turned me away from the show, but its blatant expository dialogue and the drag of a fight scene at the end of the episode don't do it any favors. There's also one guy who just doesn't have a mouth, I have no idea why that exists often enough to be a trope but I hate it every time it appears. All in all, the core narrative is bland, and the execution had tons of little things to turn me away. If you're looking for a show about Japanese monsters and gods, there are far better offerings this season.
My Life as Inukai-san's Dog
Ah, fetish art. You never fail to surprise me. I truly love seeing what kinds of unhinged things people come up with for the sake of bizarre methods of titillation. My Life as Inukai-san's dog is a pet-play submissive fantasy shot from first-person, with light beastiality undercurrents (that I suspect will become more and more prominent and unhinged as the series continues). Have you ever wanted to be a cute little dog to a cute high school girl who lets you bathe with her, pets you, plays with you, and... sucks your nose? Well, you have been served. I'm sure I don't have to explain the appeal of a show about perving on hot girls while they call you cute and pet you.
As for weather it succeeds at capitalizing on this fetish, it's alright I guess. The character art is nice enough, and lovingly detailed and lengthy scenes of the titular Inukai washing herself will certainly turn you on if you enjoy voyeuristically perving on cute cartoon girls. Inukai even has some potentially interesting characterization, given the strange and depressive persona she puts up at school and around her mother which she only lets down while alone (thus adding to the fetish appeal by virtue of the viewer being the only one to see this new and cute side of her). The presentation of fanservice is a bit rote and boring though, and the direction doesn't present her in a particularly tantalizing manner. The most memorable sequence comes at the very end, when she asks us to perform tricks for her, and I guess there's also the part where she licks our nose. Idk, it's a little boring for a show like this. I was hoping for something more overtly unhinged given this series premise (and that's despite the fact that beastiality is about the furthest thing possible from my fetish strike zone, I have to be clear that this is very much not my fetish). Manga readers seem to say that it gets far more "interesting" in later chapters, so I'm curious to see what they mean. My interest in fetish art will probably punish me here, but I just have to know what this story thinks up.
As for weather it succeeds at capitalizing on this fetish, it's alright I guess. The character art is nice enough, and lovingly detailed and lengthy scenes of the titular Inukai washing herself will certainly turn you on if you enjoy voyeuristically perving on cute cartoon girls. Inukai even has some potentially interesting characterization, given the strange and depressive persona she puts up at school and around her mother which she only lets down while alone (thus adding to the fetish appeal by virtue of the viewer being the only one to see this new and cute side of her). The presentation of fanservice is a bit rote and boring though, and the direction doesn't present her in a particularly tantalizing manner. The most memorable sequence comes at the very end, when she asks us to perform tricks for her, and I guess there's also the part where she licks our nose. Idk, it's a little boring for a show like this. I was hoping for something more overtly unhinged given this series premise (and that's despite the fact that beastiality is about the furthest thing possible from my fetish strike zone, I have to be clear that this is very much not my fetish). Manga readers seem to say that it gets far more "interesting" in later chapters, so I'm curious to see what they mean. My interest in fetish art will probably punish me here, but I just have to know what this story thinks up.
Nijiyon Animation
The Love Live franchise's character interactions have always been at its core, and so this series of strange 3 minute shorts featuring goofy skits with the Nijigasaki cast seek to capitalize on that appeal in a short and easily watchable manner. The result is... strange. It goes for a blend of 2D and 3D animation which frankly doesn't come together gracefully. It's obvious when it switches between them, and the 3D models are just ugly. The designs don't capture any of the cuteness or appeal of these characters. But it does leave their personalities in tact, and this basic introduction to each of them is at least somewhat entertaining based solely on the fact that said personalities are pretty damn likable. I'm hoping that since this episode dedicated itself to introductions, future episodes will be more gag focused similar to other franchise chibi shorts like Umayon. But at such a low commitment at 3 minutes a week, it's probably a worthwhile watch for anyone who enjoyed Love Live Nijigasaki. And as a NijiGaku enjoyer, I'll certainly stay for more adventures with these girls, even in the form of weird and chunky 3D models.
OniMai: Now I'm Your Sister
Watching this show, I'm wondering what it actually wants to be. On some level, it's obvious. The protagonist is a depressed shut-in who's mad scientist sister turns him into a little girl in hopes that it will somehow encourage him to get out of the house. Lots of humor is played on the main character getting used to their new life as a girl and struggling through their loss of identity, and they are working through issues to overcome being a shut-in. But like, what is this show trying actually do? I kind of can't tell. It's obviously a comedy, but I don't find it particularly funny. Its comedic timing is a little sluggish for my taste, and a lot of the humor is sad as the main character gets girlhood forced on them against their will (though the fake BL porn game characters being named "Toppington" and "Bottomsly" got a laugh out of me). There is kind of an attempt at gender commentary when he wonders to himself if he actually likes being the way he is as a girl, but it gets totally undercut by the fact that it's stated his tastes and sensibilities have changed as a result of this sex-changing drug. It's hard to find that realization poignant when it's at least partially caused by outside forces and isn't a result of their own journey and realizations with their new body. There's also a wholesome story about a shut-in becoming a more whole person, but I'm not invested yet. I've heard some people call it a force-fem loli fetish show, but it surprisingly doesn't have much in the way of lewd sexual imagery (even the uncensored version is nowhere near as horny as I was expecting); the OP delivers on fanservice infinitely more than the show itself. I suppose the simple idea of being turned into a little girl against your will is the fetish, but I personally don't feel it did amazingly at capturing that as a fetish since it tries to take the premise seriously. Perhaps I don't understand the fetish well enough to comment on it, but that's been my takeaway. I'm sure that those who will love this show are going to find it no matter what, and I hope those people enjoy what Onimai has to offer.
However, I'm 100% going to stick with it for one reason and one reason alone: holy fuck, dat animation doe. Idk what it is about weird and "problematic" shows often getting bizarrely incredible productions (flashbacks to UzaMaid), but this series animation is simply outstanding. It's a cartoony delight full of thoughtful and fun character animation, alongside detailed atmospheric lighting, gorgeous background art, and spacious layouts. It moves near constantly, its character designs are perfect and animation friendly, and the production team seems to be just having a field day with this show. If there weren't a KyoAni show airing this season, there would be no doubt that this is the most visually impressive winter seasonal. Studio Bind apparently wants to form some kind of reputation for giving insanely impressive adaptations to stories with some kind of sexual deviancy involved. They're doing a bang-up job if that's the case, and I wish them luck on that goal. Hopefully, Onimai's humor and story will start to get closer to the quality of its visuals as it goes, but for now, I find it worthwhile to keep with such a noteworthy production.
However, I'm 100% going to stick with it for one reason and one reason alone: holy fuck, dat animation doe. Idk what it is about weird and "problematic" shows often getting bizarrely incredible productions (flashbacks to UzaMaid), but this series animation is simply outstanding. It's a cartoony delight full of thoughtful and fun character animation, alongside detailed atmospheric lighting, gorgeous background art, and spacious layouts. It moves near constantly, its character designs are perfect and animation friendly, and the production team seems to be just having a field day with this show. If there weren't a KyoAni show airing this season, there would be no doubt that this is the most visually impressive winter seasonal. Studio Bind apparently wants to form some kind of reputation for giving insanely impressive adaptations to stories with some kind of sexual deviancy involved. They're doing a bang-up job if that's the case, and I wish them luck on that goal. Hopefully, Onimai's humor and story will start to get closer to the quality of its visuals as it goes, but for now, I find it worthwhile to keep with such a noteworthy production.
The Reincarnation of the Strongest Exorcist in Another World
You'll find a bit of a pattern in the way I talk about isekai like this. I often tend to describe their best qualities as "charm points," and these series failings tend to come from a lack of such points. This saturated subgenre is often plagued by the same negative features, so any point of humanity or interesting characterization is going to be what puts one above another in my eyes. That's not to say that Saikyou Onmyouji here is too much greater than mediocre, but it has just enough points of charm, character, and humanity to push itself a level above much of the pack. It clearly has some thought put into it, and that's more than I can say for most of its contemporaries. For one, while Seika doesn't have too much personality, the dynamic of his family provides both narrative and character intrigue. Past life aside, Seika is the daughter of a mistress and thus is considered lesser than his siblings due to both lacking magic and not being an heir. Gly is outwardly proud of his accomplishments and taunts his younger brother, but we can later see that he is a coward deep down and ultimately has an inferiority complex. He's also the kind of asshole who nearly raped a slave for dropping some water on him. While Luft is conflict avoidant and generally seems to have some opinion but tries to keep everyone else civil. That's characterization enough to provide some intrigue, and things have already been paid off by the end of the episode.
Likewise, while Seika may not have a ton of personality, his relationship with Yifa the slave provides a point of human drama and connection. Both of them have similar abilities and are looked down upon by those who surround them, and they end up forming a bond with Seika helping train Yifa to use her spirits. It's not a lot, but even my heart softened just a tad at the montage of them training over the passing seasons. Is this a lot to offer? No. This show is still generic and bland, it's still a power fantasy about a supposed underdog who's actually the strongest in the world but no one can recognize it because of bullshit reasons, and who's already surrounded by cute girls who fawn over him because he's a nice guy (though any character voiced by Waki Azumi has me on board, so Yifa is pretty adorable). Seika's backstory even glosses over the most important event that would set his motivation for the rest of the story, a major narrative blunder. It still looks kind of terrible and is definitely going to have a production melt-down by the end of the season, and although it seems to be building a bigger and more ambitious narrative, it doesn't give me the sense that it's going to pay off its current intrigue much. But there are some points of connection here, so it's not too bad overall. I'm actually wondering if the source material is decent, because I can definitely sense some thought and ambition to the story and would believe it if the adaptation were fucking some of it up. But either way, I don't find it too impactful. I can see isekai fans enjoying it though.
Likewise, while Seika may not have a ton of personality, his relationship with Yifa the slave provides a point of human drama and connection. Both of them have similar abilities and are looked down upon by those who surround them, and they end up forming a bond with Seika helping train Yifa to use her spirits. It's not a lot, but even my heart softened just a tad at the montage of them training over the passing seasons. Is this a lot to offer? No. This show is still generic and bland, it's still a power fantasy about a supposed underdog who's actually the strongest in the world but no one can recognize it because of bullshit reasons, and who's already surrounded by cute girls who fawn over him because he's a nice guy (though any character voiced by Waki Azumi has me on board, so Yifa is pretty adorable). Seika's backstory even glosses over the most important event that would set his motivation for the rest of the story, a major narrative blunder. It still looks kind of terrible and is definitely going to have a production melt-down by the end of the season, and although it seems to be building a bigger and more ambitious narrative, it doesn't give me the sense that it's going to pay off its current intrigue much. But there are some points of connection here, so it's not too bad overall. I'm actually wondering if the source material is decent, because I can definitely sense some thought and ambition to the story and would believe it if the adaptation were fucking some of it up. But either way, I don't find it too impactful. I can see isekai fans enjoying it though.
Finally, Stuff With Potential
Ningen Fushin: Adventurers Who Don't Believe in Humanity Will Save the World
Usually, I tend to know how I'll feel about these seasonals pretty quickly, especially for shows like this one. It opens up on that generic "epic fantasy" music to show us that generic fantasy town that all of these Narou-kei adaptations seem to open on. Ugly background art, instantly lame humor, an edgy backstory I've seen a million times before causing the protagonist to lose faith in humanity, all the hallmarks of rushed out almost-isekai adaptations that seem to be pumped out of random studios all the time were right there. But watching through this episode was strange because I slowly started to warm up to it for a number of reasons, and ended up charmed by it enough to want to see where it goes by the end. It started with a few small things. This series obviously has a poor schedule and its staff seem like they're rushing out this production, but I got the sense that they're truly doing their best to make things interesting. There's legitimate artistic vision here in spite of the bland and ugly aesthetic. Its character acting is janky and awkward, but it does actually attempt to have quite a lot of personality rich character animation anyway. Its color design and compositing are quite bad, but it tries its absolute hardest to be moody and to have interesting or thoughtful shots. It sits on vulnerable moments to let us bask in the characters feelings, and it actually has a few really solid shot compositions. I get the sense that the staff are trying to make this the best adaptation possible, and I have to appreciate the surprising ambition here. The director hasn't done much directing work, but they've done some animation work on a number of high profile and high quality productions including the likes of Gurren Lagann and Haibane Renmei, so I don't find it hard to believe that they've been influenced by some great creators and want to let it shine here.
What pushed this one over the edge for me was the scene in which all of the characters slammed their beer jugs down at the same time and said the same thing at once, a moment that is totally generic in concept but was executed in a way I actually found surprising and well timed. It was here that I started to get invested, seeing that this was a group of bizarre misfits who have all been abandoned by vile people, and are about to find solace in fellow loners with the same jaded attitude towards humanity. They exchange backstories, partied and passed out in one of their rooms, and suddenly I felt like I could understand these people and like they actually built intimacy in their experiences. This series is jank, but it's got a ton of heart. The direction is way overly ambitious for the schedule (and is almost certainly going to collapse by the end), the character writing is a little rote but manages to have personality, the backstories are overly edgy and generic but almost almost feel campy enough to work as melodrama; it's this combination of obvious jank and clear vision that makes me want to root for this show. I'm not sure if I'll stick with it, but I'm happy that this group of staff at this barely known studio is probably trying their darndest to make a quality product out of source material like this light novel.
In/Spectre Season 2
Buddy Daddies
What pushed this one over the edge for me was the scene in which all of the characters slammed their beer jugs down at the same time and said the same thing at once, a moment that is totally generic in concept but was executed in a way I actually found surprising and well timed. It was here that I started to get invested, seeing that this was a group of bizarre misfits who have all been abandoned by vile people, and are about to find solace in fellow loners with the same jaded attitude towards humanity. They exchange backstories, partied and passed out in one of their rooms, and suddenly I felt like I could understand these people and like they actually built intimacy in their experiences. This series is jank, but it's got a ton of heart. The direction is way overly ambitious for the schedule (and is almost certainly going to collapse by the end), the character writing is a little rote but manages to have personality, the backstories are overly edgy and generic but almost almost feel campy enough to work as melodrama; it's this combination of obvious jank and clear vision that makes me want to root for this show. I'm not sure if I'll stick with it, but I'm happy that this group of staff at this barely known studio is probably trying their darndest to make a quality product out of source material like this light novel.
Ayakashi Triangle
Two gender bender fetish anime this season? What a based season. Ayakashi Triangle is the one which I found to have the more promising premiere, as its character conflicts are surprisingly interesting and straight-to-the-point, and it's also blessed with perfect character designs that hit that combination of adorable and sexy right on target (though I guess that's to be expected given that this is an adaptation of a manga from the creator of To-Love Ru). Ayakashi Triangle follows a girl who can see ayakashi, and her childhood friend who is an ayakashi exorcist. While Suzu loves ayakashi and is ignorant of their potentially vile natures, Matsuri has been trained to hate them due to his need to succeed his grandfather's role as local exorcist. Suzu also has romantic feelings for Matsuri, but they've grown apart since Matsuri has come to dislike Ayakashi and it's not gone anywhere for years. I find the strange distance between these protagonists and their complicated feelings towards each other to make them compelling enough to care about, and their straightforward personalities are instantly likable. Suzu seems like she'll be pretty horny too, which is going to be fun given the series central gimmick. Matsuri becomes a girl because a cat god wants to prevent them from getting together, but with a show like this, something like gender is never keeping them apart. It's a fun premise with great character art and solid production in general, and also a soundtrack that kind of goes way too hard.
While this show doesn't do much to rise above this genre's norm of mediocre to decent fetish shows, it's still a fun time and the gender bending adds an appealing layer to it. Whether the character relationships and sexual scenarios will be strong enough to make it worthwhile is yet to be seen but it has potential. Unfortunately, it seems that Ayakashi Triangle's production committee has made the baffling decision to not air the uncensored version on TV, even on AT-X which usually does air uncensored ecchi anime. That means that we're going to have to wait for the BD release to see all of this beautiful lewd artwork in its full glory, which is the biggest barrier to this show for the moment. As a result, I'm putting it on hold until I gain the ability to see some nipples, the giant white cat blocking all the goods just isn't doing it for me. But regardless of your choice, Ayakashi Triangle is worth keeping an eye on if you're a fan of some good old fashioned horny.
While this show doesn't do much to rise above this genre's norm of mediocre to decent fetish shows, it's still a fun time and the gender bending adds an appealing layer to it. Whether the character relationships and sexual scenarios will be strong enough to make it worthwhile is yet to be seen but it has potential. Unfortunately, it seems that Ayakashi Triangle's production committee has made the baffling decision to not air the uncensored version on TV, even on AT-X which usually does air uncensored ecchi anime. That means that we're going to have to wait for the BD release to see all of this beautiful lewd artwork in its full glory, which is the biggest barrier to this show for the moment. As a result, I'm putting it on hold until I gain the ability to see some nipples, the giant white cat blocking all the goods just isn't doing it for me. But regardless of your choice, Ayakashi Triangle is worth keeping an eye on if you're a fan of some good old fashioned horny.
In/Spectre Season 2
I really enjoyed the first season of In/Spectre, but even I have to admit that it comes with at least one major caveat. The consensus on it seems to be that the first half was great, but that it took a sharp spiral downward once it got to the Steel Lady Nanase arc. My own personal opinion is that this drop is highly exaggerated, and that it happens far later than typically stated. But my god, that three episode climax is unimaginably boring. This series sometimes gets lost in exposition, and unfortunately, this unsavory quality is what this second season opens up on. Indeed, 90% of this episode is exposition, including close to 5 minutes of what is essentially recap to refresh us on Kotoko's and Kuro's roles and powers. Sorry to tell you guys, but I did watch the first season, I know what's going on here.
This episode is spent on a "mystery" regarding a doll that makes noise in an apartment. We don't even get to watch them solve the mystery, they gain information off-screen and tell it to some yokai, then they settle it with a decently nice fight scene. But I still can't get myself to hate this episode. Maybe it's just because I'm happy to see these characters again, and that likability and a promise for more romance and flirting (because let's be real, Kotoko's and Kuro's strange romance is the best thing about this series) may have carried me through this slog of an introduction. We still got hints of that wonderful chemistry in a short scene where Kotoko and Kuro talk in Kuro's apartment, and I really hope this season will return to focusing on that. In/Spectre can be a very rewarding show at its best, and I'm still rooting for it.
This episode is spent on a "mystery" regarding a doll that makes noise in an apartment. We don't even get to watch them solve the mystery, they gain information off-screen and tell it to some yokai, then they settle it with a decently nice fight scene. But I still can't get myself to hate this episode. Maybe it's just because I'm happy to see these characters again, and that likability and a promise for more romance and flirting (because let's be real, Kotoko's and Kuro's strange romance is the best thing about this series) may have carried me through this slog of an introduction. We still got hints of that wonderful chemistry in a short scene where Kotoko and Kuro talk in Kuro's apartment, and I really hope this season will return to focusing on that. In/Spectre can be a very rewarding show at its best, and I'm still rooting for it.
Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill
Isekai about how delicious modern Earth food tastes to people of medieval fantasy settings seem to be their own common trope now, and TonSuki here is yet another take on this story. If you enjoyed the likes of Restaurant to Another World, this show will probably be right up your alley. Simply put, this show is pleasant. It's not impressive or interesting or memorable, but it's nice. Mukouda is a normal school student who was summoned to another world to be their hero, but while those he was summoned with had traditionally OP isekai skills, he was blessed with a much more quietly excellent skill in the form of an online supermarket he can use to buy modern convenience food for cheap and get it right then and there. While getting escorted to another town, he cooks for the party who helps him out, and we get to simmer in the pleasant atmosphere of just watching characters enjoy delicious food.
Think of it like all the eating scenes in Yuru Camp. Not much happens, but the characters chow down and enjoy it in an exaggerated way, and it's backed by nice music that sets the mood perfectly. Maybe this show lacks the strength of characterization, art direction, and tone that makes Yuru Camp so special, but the appeal of watching the characters eat in both series is similar to me. There are other aspects of potential appeal to the show, given the shady king who seems to be exploiting his summoned "heroes" for some kind of political gain as well as the notion of Mukouda selling his online market food in another world for easy profit, but I don't find them nearly as fleshed out or innately appealing as the more relaxing food sequences, which this episode gave the bulk of its focus. If you're looking for something to bring up your mood a bit, Campfire Cooking in Another World is a decent choice.
Think of it like all the eating scenes in Yuru Camp. Not much happens, but the characters chow down and enjoy it in an exaggerated way, and it's backed by nice music that sets the mood perfectly. Maybe this show lacks the strength of characterization, art direction, and tone that makes Yuru Camp so special, but the appeal of watching the characters eat in both series is similar to me. There are other aspects of potential appeal to the show, given the shady king who seems to be exploiting his summoned "heroes" for some kind of political gain as well as the notion of Mukouda selling his online market food in another world for easy profit, but I don't find them nearly as fleshed out or innately appealing as the more relaxing food sequences, which this episode gave the bulk of its focus. If you're looking for something to bring up your mood a bit, Campfire Cooking in Another World is a decent choice.
I'm Almost Aborad These Trains
Reborn to Master the Blade: From Hero King to Extraordinary Squire ♀
We are currently living in a season with three gender bender anime. God bless the lords of anime. While this one's fetish undercurrents are far less prominent than the previous two (enough for me to justify not calling it a fetish show, though the crew's obvious love for these character designs shows through plenty), I think this is the most fun of the three gender bender stories airing now. Inglis is an old king with an entire anime's worth of backstory who dies and gets his wish to be reborn granted in hopes that he can train his sword skills in his new life. But he gets reborn as a girl, and is OP as fuck from birth. Hilarity ensues. I'm not going to say that this is the funniest show I've seen, it's pacing can be a bit sluggish and it can linger on its build-up too long for the punchlines to completely land. But even I cannot ignore the inherent comedy of watching a baby vaporize a giant dragon with an even more giant death laser.
This show is about its imagery more than anything. While the relationship between Inglis and same-aged Rafinha is cute (and maybe even a little gay), and Inglis being desperate to get attacked by powerful enemies so they can train is funny (and Akari Kitou's delivery is delightful), what I've mostly taken from this episode is images like a 5 year old defeating an obnoxious asshole at swordplay with her eyes closed, or all the fun facial expressions that baby version Inglis makes upon seeing everyone fighting a giant dragon. But when I say imagery, I also mean the beautiful and detailed character art, which seems to be a priority of the show. It's got lovely character designs drawn with sheen and pretty linework, I really feel like the staff half just want to draw all the cute girls in cute outfits, and I can certainly get behind that. The detail of the artwork even negatively impacts the animation, which can be a bit clunky at times (and the male characters don't get the same treatment, stills with them look comparatively more awkward). So in closing, this show is pretty cute and relatively funny, has lovely artwork, is fun as a gender bender story, and just seems like a good time in general.
This show is about its imagery more than anything. While the relationship between Inglis and same-aged Rafinha is cute (and maybe even a little gay), and Inglis being desperate to get attacked by powerful enemies so they can train is funny (and Akari Kitou's delivery is delightful), what I've mostly taken from this episode is images like a 5 year old defeating an obnoxious asshole at swordplay with her eyes closed, or all the fun facial expressions that baby version Inglis makes upon seeing everyone fighting a giant dragon. But when I say imagery, I also mean the beautiful and detailed character art, which seems to be a priority of the show. It's got lovely character designs drawn with sheen and pretty linework, I really feel like the staff half just want to draw all the cute girls in cute outfits, and I can certainly get behind that. The detail of the artwork even negatively impacts the animation, which can be a bit clunky at times (and the male characters don't get the same treatment, stills with them look comparatively more awkward). So in closing, this show is pretty cute and relatively funny, has lovely artwork, is fun as a gender bender story, and just seems like a good time in general.
Buddy Daddies
I was planning to make the obvious and generic "were you hoping for some more gay in your Spy x Family" joke, but then I saw a bunch of people saying that this show shot down the gay stuff immediately. And then I watched the episode, and although Kazuki is obviously interested in women, he did refer to the kid as "our kid" in regard to himself and his sidekick Rei, and they're both raising her under the same household and are essentially both her dad, so I'm going to tentatively say that this is the bisexual version of Spy x Family. Anyway, it's a fun time. Not the instant classic that the thing it's obviously a rip-off of is, but a lesser Spy x Family is still pretty charming. Its biggest strength is the way it takes time to let us just see the main character's personalities with scenes unrelated to the plot but which help to invest us anyway. Kazuki and Rei are total opposites and act like stubborn yet loving roommates. Rei is lazy but caring, while Kazuki is somewhat more "aware" of things but is also a playboy who finds himself easily scammed by beautiful women. Scenes of them talking about what to do with a cat and then eating dinner together really help to sell how close they are while also highlighting their fundamental disagreements and incompatibilities, and it's also clear that Kazuki's attitude towards accepting other people into his life is shaped by past trauma, captured by his rationalization of not wanting to drag people into the drama of his unstable job. And Miri is just a normal kid, she's plenty adorable and I've got to give props to Hina Kino's vocal performance for making her the perfect blend of cutely innocent and annoyingly oblivious.
Where this episode falters for me is in the spy thriller aspects. Although I like the general art direction and there are a few individually well directed moments, such as a really sharp impact when Rei shoots someone with his gun and it cuts to the victim from behind to highlight the intensity of the shot, it's just not shot or paced snappily enough to be particularly thrilling. And a lack of focus on small details kills some of the believability of things. The episode actually left me with a bad first impression, when it cold opens on a mission that eventually leads to a car chase scene on a highway in broad daylight, but with no cars on the road except for the one they need to attack. But I'm not really watching this show for any thrilling spy shenanigans, so that's an acceptable trade-off to make. I want to see some cute boys raise a kid together, and the comedy and drama that ensues from that mission's incompatibility with their jobs as assassins. Thankfully, there's enough here for me to think it might deliver on that.
Where this episode falters for me is in the spy thriller aspects. Although I like the general art direction and there are a few individually well directed moments, such as a really sharp impact when Rei shoots someone with his gun and it cuts to the victim from behind to highlight the intensity of the shot, it's just not shot or paced snappily enough to be particularly thrilling. And a lack of focus on small details kills some of the believability of things. The episode actually left me with a bad first impression, when it cold opens on a mission that eventually leads to a car chase scene on a highway in broad daylight, but with no cars on the road except for the one they need to attack. But I'm not really watching this show for any thrilling spy shenanigans, so that's an acceptable trade-off to make. I want to see some cute boys raise a kid together, and the comedy and drama that ensues from that mission's incompatibility with their jobs as assassins. Thankfully, there's enough here for me to think it might deliver on that.
The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten
Shows with titles like this call to mind a certain brand of wish fulfillment, the kind of show where you get to self-insert into a guy who gets a cute girl to take care of him. I won't necessarily say that this show isn't that, but although it's a bit generic in its set-up, it's a wonder what solid dialogue and thoughtfully crafted characterization can do to a story. Shiina is a multi-talented girl who's extremely popular due to her talents and friendly persona, but it's made instantly clear that it is a persona, and this persona is tiring for her. Fujimiya is a bit of a loner, but he's a nice person and helps Shiina in a moment of vulnerability, and Shiina wants to repay the favor. But while a lot of shows would simply end the introduction there, having Shiina repay the favor, see that the person who was nice to her lives alone and can't take care of himself, and then take care of him to repay the favor, this show only uses it as a starting point for their relationship, which I really appreciate. Shiina and Fujimiya don't quickly become close, their relationship builds naturally from a series of very believable meetings and interactions. And it's also well balanced, with much more going on than Shiina just "spoiling" Fujimiya as the title would imply. Since Fujimiya can see Shiina outside of her school persona, the two have a natural comfort and chemistry that just slowly builds into spending time with each other.
So sure, Shiina cooks for Fujimiya because she can't stand to see him live such a messy life and eat so poorly. But when she says it's for personal reasons, I think it's at least partially true. She does it for a lot of reasons, it feels like a natural extension of who she is as a person rather than existing just for the meta reason of "cute girl takes care of you." And this carries into their banter, which has that friendly abrasiveness to it that is both fun to watch and implies how close they are. The two can do weirdly specific things like both buy "one-per-customer" on-sale soy sauce so that Shiina can have two, or have no qualms about just ordering a pizza and eating together, more generally just not being weird about entering each other's homes and taking care of each other. I can't tell you how refreshing it is to have a female character see the messy home of a male character and not have a ridiculous reaction to it. She doesn't even clean it until days after, and only because Fujimiya hurts himself tripping over his mess. It's actually kind of like the series goes out of its way to react to the kind of dialogue you'd typically expect in a show like this. When Fujimiya quips "some guys would get the wrong idea about your cooking for me," every other show would have the girl freak out and get embarrassed. But Shiina just gives the reasonable response of "do you think I like you" and Fujimiya says "no," and that's the end of it. Idk, maybe it's a low bar, but I found myself enjoying the dynamic these two share, and felt invested in their relationship due to stronger writing than I'd normally associate with adaptations of light novels similar to this one. Maybe it's got those mediocre Project No. 9 production values, but it seems like a sweet romance so far.
So sure, Shiina cooks for Fujimiya because she can't stand to see him live such a messy life and eat so poorly. But when she says it's for personal reasons, I think it's at least partially true. She does it for a lot of reasons, it feels like a natural extension of who she is as a person rather than existing just for the meta reason of "cute girl takes care of you." And this carries into their banter, which has that friendly abrasiveness to it that is both fun to watch and implies how close they are. The two can do weirdly specific things like both buy "one-per-customer" on-sale soy sauce so that Shiina can have two, or have no qualms about just ordering a pizza and eating together, more generally just not being weird about entering each other's homes and taking care of each other. I can't tell you how refreshing it is to have a female character see the messy home of a male character and not have a ridiculous reaction to it. She doesn't even clean it until days after, and only because Fujimiya hurts himself tripping over his mess. It's actually kind of like the series goes out of its way to react to the kind of dialogue you'd typically expect in a show like this. When Fujimiya quips "some guys would get the wrong idea about your cooking for me," every other show would have the girl freak out and get embarrassed. But Shiina just gives the reasonable response of "do you think I like you" and Fujimiya says "no," and that's the end of it. Idk, maybe it's a low bar, but I found myself enjoying the dynamic these two share, and felt invested in their relationship due to stronger writing than I'd normally associate with adaptations of light novels similar to this one. Maybe it's got those mediocre Project No. 9 production values, but it seems like a sweet romance so far.
Tsurune - The Linking Shot -
Revenger
Let me get the elephant in the room out of the way first. Last year felt like a blessing of some of the most visually impressive anime possibly ever all coming out at once. Akebi's Sailor Uniform, Bocchi the Rock, Yama no Susume, Mob Psycho 100, Chainsaw Man, all of these shows blew me away with their visuals and I'm tempted to list them among the most visually impressive anime ever made. And yet here I am, seeing Kyoto Animation just doing their normal thing, outshining all of the competition like it's effortless. And somehow, they just keep making each production look more incredible than the last. Tsurune is drop dead gorgeous and stunningly animated, this episode maintains film quality that doesn't let up for even a single second. Stunning atmospheric lighting, complex and detailed character acting, tactile direction, Tsurune is just visual masterclass (and extremely sharp sound direction only bolsters it). And somehow, only 9 key animators had work in this episode, proving a healthy schedule that nearly no other modern TV production can match. Kyoto Animation simply exists in another dimension compared to everyone else, and I don't feel as if I'm exaggerating by saying this. This is the studio's first full production after the arson, the first one without any posthumous contributions. I said the same thing for Maid Dragon S, but they have truly not lost a single thing and it feels like anime isn't supposed to look this good. It warms my heart more than you can imagine to see a studio that means so much to me not only continuing to survive, but thrive and continue pushing their limits, after all that's happened.
Tsurune as an overall story is much less impressive, though that probably says more about the production than the story. The first season was a perfectly charming little coming-of-age sports drama. I pretty much haven't thought about it at all since I watched it, but my memories of it are generally positive. It had a rote script and its characters were likable but not particularly interesting. Its biggest strength came in a few of its themes and in its mesmerizing Kyudo matches. The appeal of Kyudo as a sport is that you only truly fight yourself, making it an intimate exercise in meditation. The beginning of this second season is fairly tepid, but it maintains the series greatest strengths and has some very charming character interactions to boot, making for a lovely episode on the whole. It's begun to set up some new themes, it still has direction that allows for very tactile sensation while watching the characters shoot, and seeing the boys compete at sports and chill at a restaurant was simply a very nice time. Probably one of the series more charming slice of life outings while also making for a good refresher after the 4 year gap. I enjoyed my time with it and expect to do so for each episode after. I don't expect to ever be blown away, but Tsurune has proven itself a consistently pleasant show that occasionally pulls out a very lovely moment of wonder or atmosphere, and I'm more than happy to return to it.
Trigun StampedeTsurune as an overall story is much less impressive, though that probably says more about the production than the story. The first season was a perfectly charming little coming-of-age sports drama. I pretty much haven't thought about it at all since I watched it, but my memories of it are generally positive. It had a rote script and its characters were likable but not particularly interesting. Its biggest strength came in a few of its themes and in its mesmerizing Kyudo matches. The appeal of Kyudo as a sport is that you only truly fight yourself, making it an intimate exercise in meditation. The beginning of this second season is fairly tepid, but it maintains the series greatest strengths and has some very charming character interactions to boot, making for a lovely episode on the whole. It's begun to set up some new themes, it still has direction that allows for very tactile sensation while watching the characters shoot, and seeing the boys compete at sports and chill at a restaurant was simply a very nice time. Probably one of the series more charming slice of life outings while also making for a good refresher after the 4 year gap. I enjoyed my time with it and expect to do so for each episode after. I don't expect to ever be blown away, but Tsurune has proven itself a consistently pleasant show that occasionally pulls out a very lovely moment of wonder or atmosphere, and I'm more than happy to return to it.
I just so happened to finish the 1998 Trigun series a few days before writing this, and found a new favorite in it. Trigun is a genuine classic, one with the quality to match its reputation. With that series fresh in my mind, coming into this reboot has been interesting. To be clear, Trigun Stampede is not Trigun, nor is it trying to be. While it has many of the same characters and ideas, this version of the story is just different: in tone, style, themes, and characterization. Don't go into this expecting more Trigun. We already have Trigun, this is different. And different is fine, because Trigun Stampede has started out strong. It all starts out with a fundamentally strong cast of core characters. Vash and Meryl return as main cast members, and although they're characterized differently, they're still super lovable and have great chemistry. It's definitely disappointing to see best girl Milly replaced in her role, but her replacement in Meryl's jaded boss Roberto has already shown tons of personality and chemistry with Meryl. This Trigun is more epic in scope thus far, so Milly's straightforwardly comedic role might be out of place, and thus I find her absence understandable. I hope she comes back in some fashion though.
The story of this episode hasn't gotten going yet, but it ends on an awesome and climactic action scene that feels in the spirit of the original. Knives has already been made to be a prominent character here, and so there's already some intrigue I can't wait to see pay off. But it's not the story that makes this adaptation interesting, it's the wonderful visual presentation. Studio Orange continues to be the best in the business when it comes to CGI anime, as Trigun Stampede is bursting with expressive character acting that adds so much to all the small moments of banter, and its action sequences are dynamic yet easy to follow, making for an overall really engaging watch on all fronts. Maybe this isn't Trigun, but it's still great so far. I never expected this to perfectly capture the magic of the original, but I can definitely hope that it captures its own magic given its solid opening episode.
The story of this episode hasn't gotten going yet, but it ends on an awesome and climactic action scene that feels in the spirit of the original. Knives has already been made to be a prominent character here, and so there's already some intrigue I can't wait to see pay off. But it's not the story that makes this adaptation interesting, it's the wonderful visual presentation. Studio Orange continues to be the best in the business when it comes to CGI anime, as Trigun Stampede is bursting with expressive character acting that adds so much to all the small moments of banter, and its action sequences are dynamic yet easy to follow, making for an overall really engaging watch on all fronts. Maybe this isn't Trigun, but it's still great so far. I never expected this to perfectly capture the magic of the original, but I can definitely hope that it captures its own magic given its solid opening episode.
I can't believe I didn't realize that Gen Urobuchi was coming back with another original project until right now. Revenger has presented an intriguing first episode that feels right at home in his repertoire; a dark, violent, and moody story with rhythmic and theatrical feeling dialogue. It has done an admirable job of helping me understand its characters - a group of badass boys with interesting skills and powers who claim they work odd jobs - and the standalone story of this first episode is satisfying, while the background art is very pretty and the animation is fine enough. I also dig the historical setting. It's a solidly executed premiere on the whole. But it's also a bit bare bones. I have a general sense of what the characters are about but don't feel like I get to know them super well. The story seems potentially interesting but this episode mostly serves as a general introduction to things. Perhaps Revenger is a slow burn, and the solid execution and my general love of Gen Urobuchi's writing gives me some degree of confidence that it can pull it off. But before I can proclaim truly loving or being invested in this show, I'll need to see where it goes, as there are plenty of important details not yet fleshed out. This first episode isn't nearly as compelling as that of his other work, but hopefully the Urobutcher can pull out another masterpiece by the end.
High Card
High Card is a stylish action show about a bunch of hot men playing card games. Of course, by card games, I mean supernaturally super powered card games. This is one of those shows that chooses to make the most of a very simple idea, and it succeeds at it enough to look like it might be a ton of fun. Finn is an orphan child who lives freely on the streets, but his orphanage's landlord threatens to kick all the kids out if they can't find enough money to pay rent. Finn initially tries to make it big at a casino using his strong powers of observation, but eventually gets caught up in some kind of poker themed super power battle royale, and has to use his own special card for his own purposes. The first half of the episode didn't enthuse me a lot, but it's a solid introduction to Finn's personality and powers. The second half is where all the fun lies though, as a bunch of people all invested in this conflict start bursting into a room and killing each other with bizarre super powers, and we get a car chase and all manner of other fun action movie staples.
High Card's biggest appeal for me so far is its very unique and creative power system. There are 52 playing cards each with some kind of special ability. One card gives its user unnaturally insane luck, while another allows its user to turn anything they touch into marbles. These powers aren't traditional and get to be used in unique ways, luck can protect you but it's powerless beyond that and can be exploited, while marbles basically give you infinite ammo but only if you have something near you to actually turn into marbles (including just brutally murdering other people by turning their heads into marbles). More importantly, these cards seem like they can be stolen from each other, which adds another layer to action scenes and I think gives the concept a ton of potential. This show is silly and stylish, and seems like it might be a blast. If you're looking for a solid action show this season, High Card is a good place to start.
High Card's biggest appeal for me so far is its very unique and creative power system. There are 52 playing cards each with some kind of special ability. One card gives its user unnaturally insane luck, while another allows its user to turn anything they touch into marbles. These powers aren't traditional and get to be used in unique ways, luck can protect you but it's powerless beyond that and can be exploited, while marbles basically give you infinite ammo but only if you have something near you to actually turn into marbles (including just brutally murdering other people by turning their heads into marbles). More importantly, these cards seem like they can be stolen from each other, which adds another layer to action scenes and I think gives the concept a ton of potential. This show is silly and stylish, and seems like it might be a blast. If you're looking for a solid action show this season, High Card is a good place to start.
Tomo-chan is a Girl!
If there's one gimmick that anime has seemed to master, it's the "pleasant and solid maybe-a-6-or-7/10-romcom with a gimmick." It's a bizarrely saturated genre and most of them tend to be at least decent. If, like me, Ice Guy and his Cool Female Colleague isn't doing it for you, Tomo-chan Is a Girl may fulfill all of your rom-com needs this season as a cute, generally amusing, and overall likable show. The tagline is simple but appealing: Tomo-chan is the ultimate tomboy, so much so that her childhood friend that she has a crush on is incapable of seeing her as anything but "one of the bros.," and thus can't reciprocate her feelings no matter how blunt she is about them. So starts her journey to try and figure out what it means to be a girl, in order to be seen as a women. It's cute and fun and has more than a single joke, and that's all it really needs to be watchable at the moment. As of this episode, the series does genuinely seem interested in exploring the nature of gender roles. What actually makes someone a boy or a girl, and how can we be socially seen the way we want without fundamentally changing who we are? Various characters have different ideas about it, from other childhood friend Gundo's somewhat reductive views and encouraging Tomo to act more stereotypically feminine, to the feminine guy Misaki more intuitively understanding Tomo's struggle. At the same time, Jun seems like he recognizes Tomo's femininity to some degree but is fighting against those feelings because he's afraid of changing their long-standing childhood friendship, which makes him a little more compelling than a basic gag character. I'm a sucker for this kind of gender stuff and I hope the series delivers on it in an interesting way.
The characters are generally likable and easy to get behind. The titular Tomo is generally masculine in most ways but isn't totally manly in either body or personality. I find her tendency towards violent slapstick to be funny, but this is rounded out by general desires to be liked and seen as herself. Her love interest Jun (and his friend who needs more screen time to form an opinion on) doesn't have much to work with as of yet, but he serves his role in terms of comedy perfectly. And Gundo is my favorite thus far, a chaotic, dark, and blunt gremlin who actually goes out of her way to settle things for her friend, not allowing drama and misunderstandings to manifest, but who also loves fucking with both of them. I do worry about a show like this becoming one-note or reliant on a gimmick, but I had a nice time with this first episode. Its comedy is snappily directed and generally lands, its characters are likable, its working with potentially interesting ideas, there's more than enough here to be worth rooting for this show.
Handyman Saitou in Another World
God damn, how many isekai are there this season? I feel like this is the most isekai heavy season I've ever seen, seems like there's more than 10 of them. Thankfully, Handyman Saitou stands out from the pack by just being a really solid comedy. It's a really pleasant watch that had me laughing out loud on more than a few occasions. It's got likable characters and it uses them well, it's all I can ask for. The senile old man is especially funny to me, I have no idea why I haven't seen another show use a character like that because he had me rolling. It also manages to be just a tad heartwarming, and it's setting up a cute romance. And it's blessed with solid art direction to boot, it can be pretty to look at sometimes.
That being said, this isn't the kind of show that gives me oodles of stuff to talk about. It's a series of disconnected comedy and slice of life skits with no real overarching progression or general theme. I can understand that not appealing to everyone. Even I found myself thinking that a show like this would work better as a short series, the skits wore themselves out a tad by the end of the episode. I'm always worried that shows like this will get stale. But I'm here just to give a first impression, and this first episode was funny. That makes it a good comedy, and that's all there is too it. Maybe more isekai would benefit from just trying to be simple like this.
A Tale of Outcasts
That being said, this isn't the kind of show that gives me oodles of stuff to talk about. It's a series of disconnected comedy and slice of life skits with no real overarching progression or general theme. I can understand that not appealing to everyone. Even I found myself thinking that a show like this would work better as a short series, the skits wore themselves out a tad by the end of the episode. I'm always worried that shows like this will get stale. But I'm here just to give a first impression, and this first episode was funny. That makes it a good comedy, and that's all there is too it. Maybe more isekai would benefit from just trying to be simple like this.
Kaina of the Great Snow Sea
Holy fuck, I adore this setting. I was trying to think of a way to set the scene with evocative descriptions, but fuck that, I'm just gonna come out and say it. A lone village with some of humanity's last people set at the very top of a giant tree and kept afloat by giant see-through glass-like plates over a stunning sky, surrounded by bizarre and alien looking fantasy creatures; it's ethereal, fragile, and beautiful. Whenever anyone walks around to go hunting, it looks like they're standing atop the sky and walking over the clouds. Far below this canopy is a giant sea of snow, where a princess and her crew fight for their lives to save their kingdom. The setting itself is more evocative than I could ever be, it feels lonely and like it's dying, but has such a simple, delicate beauty to it. The whole thing gives me Nausicaa vibes, it has that kind of melancholy emptiness to it and seems like a world on its very last legs, but the things that do fill it are things I want to appreciate while they last for more reasons than it being breathtaking to look at. It's the rare fantasy show with fantasy creatures that actually feel fantastical, from giant balloon "floaters" that rise and fall with the wind to strange diamond shaped flying creatures streaking across a sky under broken glass. And the story is adorned by lovely music that captures this delicate beauty as well. I'm a complete sucker for this setting and this atmosphere, and it's executed wonderfully.
I'm admittedly less enthused with the rest of the show so far. The main characters show promise but are a little bland at the moment, mostly due to this episode dedicating itself to setting its tone. I do like Princess Liliha's attitude, how much agency she has and her willingness to fight bloody battles, and the notion of Kaina having to deal with likely being the only person left of his village as all the older people around him die seems compelling, but these ideas are merely established rather than explored. This is a Polygon Pictures CGI production, and they've gotten a lot better over the years, but the character acting is definitely a bit stiff and it hasn't used the free camera in a noteworthy way as of yet. The episode falters most noticeably in its dialogue, which feels rote and robotic. It's attempts at humor fall flat, and a decent portion of it is blatantly expository, making it rather unengaging in its most mundane moments. But then we get away from the mundanity of the home and get to see a people riding strange seal creatures over a pure white sea of snow, chased by a coal black ship contrasting the beautiful white ocean, and the promise of an epic and evocative fantasy show in a setting this beautiful tantalizes me again. I cannot wait to explore this setting more, and if a fantasy show can capture my imagination like this, then it's obviously doing something right.
I'm admittedly less enthused with the rest of the show so far. The main characters show promise but are a little bland at the moment, mostly due to this episode dedicating itself to setting its tone. I do like Princess Liliha's attitude, how much agency she has and her willingness to fight bloody battles, and the notion of Kaina having to deal with likely being the only person left of his village as all the older people around him die seems compelling, but these ideas are merely established rather than explored. This is a Polygon Pictures CGI production, and they've gotten a lot better over the years, but the character acting is definitely a bit stiff and it hasn't used the free camera in a noteworthy way as of yet. The episode falters most noticeably in its dialogue, which feels rote and robotic. It's attempts at humor fall flat, and a decent portion of it is blatantly expository, making it rather unengaging in its most mundane moments. But then we get away from the mundanity of the home and get to see a people riding strange seal creatures over a pure white sea of snow, chased by a coal black ship contrasting the beautiful white ocean, and the promise of an epic and evocative fantasy show in a setting this beautiful tantalizes me again. I cannot wait to explore this setting more, and if a fantasy show can capture my imagination like this, then it's obviously doing something right.
These Trains Though, I'm All Aboard, So Choo Choo
A Tale of Outcasts
I guess all I needed to be on board with a shounen battle anime immediately was for it to actually take time fleshing out the characters before getting on with the action. A Tale of Outcasts is classically shounen, it's got demons, it's got action, it's got a seemingly grand scope, it's a bit edgy and a bit epic, it's pretty cool in that way that shows for teen boys often are. But it's also a surprisingly tender story thus far, having taken the time to just let its two main characters talk, build a rapport, naturally learn about each other, and eventually come to enjoy their time together enough to set off the events of the story. As the title suggests, Wisteria and Marbas are both outcasts in different ways, the former having been left as an orphan cared for by an abusive priest, and the latter an immortal demon who no one can see, granting him eternal life and extreme boredom since he can't form relationships. Given their situations, it's easy to see how they'd come to be together, as Marbas is Wisteria's nightly escape from all the pain and the one thing she can look forward too in her life, and Wisteria is the only person who Marbas can form a connection with. Marbas shares stories of his thousands of years of life and lets Wisteria imagine she can travel the world, it's genuinely really sweet. And yet it's also more complicated than that, as Marbas' lack of understanding of human emotions makes him unable to realize exactly what his feelings towards the relationship are, until things start to change at the end of the episode. And beyond this, the two have endearing individual personalities. Wisteria's weird logic for justifying her begging as "genuine labor" is so oddly specific a thought process and yet so perfectly sensible given her situation that it instantly brought her to life as a character for me (and Ayana Taketatsu does a fantastic job voicing her), while Marbas is still full of emotions and doesn't feel like a robot in his stoicism.
I'm not totally sure where the story is going here, given how little information we got thus far about things taking place in the grander world, but I'm a sucker for the historical setting and I'm just down to see Marbas and Wisteria go on cute adventures together, as getting to see Wisteria finally travel the world will be very satisfying in its own right. I won't spoil the end of this episode, but a big plot twist gives me a lot of hope for interesting things to happen down the line. My major criticisms of this show largely come down to its thus far cartoonishly evil villain characters, as well as its lacking animation and compositing. I'm hoping that the one-off villains of this episode are the exception, as I found it hard to take them seriously given how over-the-top they are in their desire to harm a little girl. Can't do much about the aesthetic, but it's competently directed and if the production can hold out then I can easily see myself staying invested. This show's low MAL score is why I tend to ignore those aggregates, as I found this first episode to be surprisingly intimate, while still getting me excited in the way only good battle shounen can.
I'm not totally sure where the story is going here, given how little information we got thus far about things taking place in the grander world, but I'm a sucker for the historical setting and I'm just down to see Marbas and Wisteria go on cute adventures together, as getting to see Wisteria finally travel the world will be very satisfying in its own right. I won't spoil the end of this episode, but a big plot twist gives me a lot of hope for interesting things to happen down the line. My major criticisms of this show largely come down to its thus far cartoonishly evil villain characters, as well as its lacking animation and compositing. I'm hoping that the one-off villains of this episode are the exception, as I found it hard to take them seriously given how over-the-top they are in their desire to harm a little girl. Can't do much about the aesthetic, but it's competently directed and if the production can hold out then I can easily see myself staying invested. This show's low MAL score is why I tend to ignore those aggregates, as I found this first episode to be surprisingly intimate, while still getting me excited in the way only good battle shounen can.
Giant Beasts of Ars
What a state the industry is in for it to feel refreshing to have multiple fantasy series that aren't inspired by video games or battle shounen. Giant Beasts of Ars scratches an itch that I'm sure many haven't had filled for a bit, and it seems like it will be very promising. It's in it for the long haul, as this episode gives me the impression we're in for a bit of a slow burn, but it has admirably set up a whole host of potentially interesting plot points and it's executed with confidence. The series takes place in a city surrounded by walls, where giant monsters roam outside and occasionally present a threat to the populace. But while these monsters are threatening, some seek to use their existence to their own ends and become far larger threats; be it a needless war driven by a desire to establish cultural superiority over "barbarians," or a young girl used as a test subject who might be the key to defeating the beasts but at the cost of her own life. This ultimately scratches the surface of a fairly layered set of conflicts, and it seems like this series will be the type where a variety of interconnected plot points slowly start to converge.
I have a lot of hope that that convergence will be satisfying because of the series production, which is very impressive. Excellent animation and beautiful art direction make the rustic seaside setting feel lively, while helping the fights to feel exhilarating. And while the character writing has thus far been fairly minimalistic, I think that's fine given that the episode does such a good job at setting up so many larger conflicts. What we do get to see of the cast is endearing, but the series has plenty of time to establish them as much more interesting people worth investing in. I also found myself impressed by the little looks we get into the world's culture, with brief looks into some competing government factions, as well as scenes showing what it's like to sign up for battle, shots of a bustling marketplace, and little details as the characters eat at a tavern, such as one group doing grace and praying over their food before eating. Given how much of this episode is setting things up, it's hard to be completely drawn in right off the bat, but the intrigue it provides and the confidence of its delivery helps me to have my own confidence that it will become great in the future. I love me a good fantasy epic and this one seems as promising as any.
I have a lot of hope that that convergence will be satisfying because of the series production, which is very impressive. Excellent animation and beautiful art direction make the rustic seaside setting feel lively, while helping the fights to feel exhilarating. And while the character writing has thus far been fairly minimalistic, I think that's fine given that the episode does such a good job at setting up so many larger conflicts. What we do get to see of the cast is endearing, but the series has plenty of time to establish them as much more interesting people worth investing in. I also found myself impressed by the little looks we get into the world's culture, with brief looks into some competing government factions, as well as scenes showing what it's like to sign up for battle, shots of a bustling marketplace, and little details as the characters eat at a tavern, such as one group doing grace and praying over their food before eating. Given how much of this episode is setting things up, it's hard to be completely drawn in right off the bat, but the intrigue it provides and the confidence of its delivery helps me to have my own confidence that it will become great in the future. I love me a good fantasy epic and this one seems as promising as any.
Sugar Apple Fairy Tale
Man, I love fairy tales as an aesthetic. Not really sure why, I guess I've always found a sort of whimsical nature to them that appeals to me. There's a subtle atmosphere to the world of a fairy tale, it's slightly romantic, slightly mysterious, slightly whimsical, and slightly off-putting. Sugar Apple Fairy Tale wonderfully captures the appeal of fairy tales as an aesthetic, crafting a magical world and telling a relatively dark story through the lens of a moral tale. The series takes place in a world where humans have subjugated fairies to serve them, buying and selling them as slaves. Anne Halford is the daughter of a sugar sculptor and wants to carry on that legacy after her mother's death, and since that legacy relates so strongly to fairy inventions, she's been taught from a young age to trust and love fairies and treat them as humans. On her quest to enter a big competition, she purchases a warrior fairy man (who is very sexy and I may or may not want to be pinned down by) for protection, and promises to set him free once she reaches her destination. The episode's major conflict, and likely the series thematic backbone, relates to Anne's naïve understanding of the relationship between humans and fairies. Anne constantly tries to make friends with her fairy and treat him like an equal, without realizing that she literally bought the rights to his life and cannot treat him as an equal while also owning him as property. It's kind of like the shoujo fairy tale version of 86, as like 86's protagonist, Anne starts to realize that she is participating in the very system she claims to despise, and has been normalized to the treatment of fairies in a way she doesn't fully realize. It's an interesting conflict, and the relationship between Anne and Shall has proven itself to be a highly entertaining dynamic.
Beyond its overt conflict, Sugar Apple Fairy Tale excels at crafting the atmosphere of a fairy tale. Its dialogue is snappy and theatrical, and its music is jittery and whimsical. Its best quality in this regard is definitely its background art, as the simplistic yet beautiful storybook style is a perfect fit for the story. While the series is generally light-hearted, it dwells on some darker emotions that add color to its atmosphere, from the melancholy of Anne remembering her mother's stories and then cutting to her grave stone, to the surprisingly bloody dual between Shall and some bandits. And that's not to mention all the slavery and fairy abuse. The series takes an interesting and classic story, twists it into its fairy tale aesthetic, and tells it with style and grace. It's simply very good in every area, and I look forward to seeing more of this world.
Beyond its overt conflict, Sugar Apple Fairy Tale excels at crafting the atmosphere of a fairy tale. Its dialogue is snappy and theatrical, and its music is jittery and whimsical. Its best quality in this regard is definitely its background art, as the simplistic yet beautiful storybook style is a perfect fit for the story. While the series is generally light-hearted, it dwells on some darker emotions that add color to its atmosphere, from the melancholy of Anne remembering her mother's stories and then cutting to her grave stone, to the surprisingly bloody dual between Shall and some bandits. And that's not to mention all the slavery and fairy abuse. The series takes an interesting and classic story, twists it into its fairy tale aesthetic, and tells it with style and grace. It's simply very good in every area, and I look forward to seeing more of this world.
Saving 80,000 Gold in Another World for My Retirement
I mentioned earlier that what I tend to look for in these isekai shows is "charm points;" any point of humanity or intrigue that can serve as a way to get me invested when I know the world and probably some of the characters are gonna be generic. But there's one way to get the one-up on even that, and that's simply to be bold, to do something interesting or ambitious that gives me hope you'll live up to your nature as a fantasy story. And having half your opening episode spoken in a constructed language and detailing both characters attempts to communicate with each other through that barrier? Oh yeah baby, that's bold. I wish more fantasy shows would come up with conlangs even if just small and basic ones to use for a little bit, I'm a total sucker for whenever it happens. I found myself pretty disappointed at how easily this show settled the language stuff, as I'd have killed to make Mitsuha working to learn the language a notable plot point, but honestly, that's fine, because this episode has a number of other bold elements that give me confidence it's gonna give me something interesting.
For one, a female protagonist in an isekai. Weird how that's refreshing, but thus is the state of the industry. And when so many isekai have their main character start off by walking around and narrating stuff dryly, it's really nice to have a character with some personality narrating things with actual character, and with directing snappy enough to make it comedic. But while that last part is just basic competence, what is a lot more interesting is the series overall conceit. Mitsuha may not have to learn the language, but she will have to learn about this world's currency, which is honestly just as interesting to me. With Mitsuha wanting to retire, she plans to work to save up enough currency in both worlds to ensure she has a good life either way, and she is going to use her ability to swap between Earth and this new world to essentially facilitate trade that will allow her to have both kinds of currency. This show's general execution is mostly just a bit more than competent, but it has so many interesting ideas that it has thus far given enough detail to for me to have confidence in, that I can't help but be excited for it. I like my isekai to be bold, and this show is doing more with the genre than most.
For one, a female protagonist in an isekai. Weird how that's refreshing, but thus is the state of the industry. And when so many isekai have their main character start off by walking around and narrating stuff dryly, it's really nice to have a character with some personality narrating things with actual character, and with directing snappy enough to make it comedic. But while that last part is just basic competence, what is a lot more interesting is the series overall conceit. Mitsuha may not have to learn the language, but she will have to learn about this world's currency, which is honestly just as interesting to me. With Mitsuha wanting to retire, she plans to work to save up enough currency in both worlds to ensure she has a good life either way, and she is going to use her ability to swap between Earth and this new world to essentially facilitate trade that will allow her to have both kinds of currency. This show's general execution is mostly just a bit more than competent, but it has so many interesting ideas that it has thus far given enough detail to for me to have confidence in, that I can't help but be excited for it. I like my isekai to be bold, and this show is doing more with the genre than most.
The Fire Hunter
Wow, this season really is a blessing for extremely promising fantasy series. This season is as isekai heavy as it gets, but if you want to get away from fantasy of that variety, then absolutely check out The Fire Hunter, a quiet and melancholy story about a girl who must travel to the capital to return a dog belonging to a fire hunter who died protecting her. In this world, humans have evolved such that being near fire causes them to spontaneously combust, and so society has regressed, knowledge has been lost, culture and values have shifted drastically, and war cannot be fought for fear of the human race getting easily wiped out. It's a quiet and melancholy story, and this episode sets its tone perfectly. In a world where the value of fire has changed, so too does the way we view life itself. Fire may be a symbol of destruction, but it was also once a symbol of rebirth. We would cremate our dead in it and burn the land to help forests grow, but that status has been lost to time as it easily burns entire populations. This show is interested in the fragility of human life, and how we manage to live through all that can destroy us; that is the atmosphere it sets for us.
Although the story is quiet, it is not without significant emotional weight. Past events are narrated in such a way as to elevate the drama, it gives it a sense of historical significance while also secluding some aspects in a way that forces us to imagine it, ultimately making it feel more impactful by virtue of our inability to perfectly conceive it. And it is all shown through gorgeous visual presentation, backgrounds that have a real and lived-in look with characters rendered in a somewhat sketchy style that makes them appear like drawings in a book. I do think that there were some small issues in regards to exposition this episode, but with the story opening up from here I don't think they'll last, and the script was great in other places. Oh yeah, did I mention that said script is penned by Mamoru Oshii? There's a legend behind this project, and its premiere is bursting with potential. Definitely do not miss this if you've been craving a more mature fantasy tale.
Although the story is quiet, it is not without significant emotional weight. Past events are narrated in such a way as to elevate the drama, it gives it a sense of historical significance while also secluding some aspects in a way that forces us to imagine it, ultimately making it feel more impactful by virtue of our inability to perfectly conceive it. And it is all shown through gorgeous visual presentation, backgrounds that have a real and lived-in look with characters rendered in a somewhat sketchy style that makes them appear like drawings in a book. I do think that there were some small issues in regards to exposition this episode, but with the story opening up from here I don't think they'll last, and the script was great in other places. Oh yeah, did I mention that said script is penned by Mamoru Oshii? There's a legend behind this project, and its premiere is bursting with potential. Definitely do not miss this if you've been craving a more mature fantasy tale.
UniteUp!
Well talk about a pleasant surprise. I tend to not expect much from these male idol shows, I always check them out and they tend to be alright but rarely truly impress me. If the earlier Technochroid: Overmind is any indication, sometimes they can even be overly gimmicky. But UniteUp! is simply a very good drama. Far from the spectacular and dazzling nature of many idol story's introductions, this one is extremely grounded and down-to-earth. It's a simple story about a kid who once dealt with failure and is afraid of chasing his dreams, and his relationships with flawed but supportive people who push him out of his comfort zone. The highlight of the episode is Akira's relationship with Kacchan, it feels very real. They share an intimate chemistry, they don't necessarily say much but enjoy each other's company, confide in each other about things, and jam out to karaoke together like the bros they are. Even when Kacchan does something that would understandably make anyone upset, while Akira gets into a fight with him, it doesn't really last long and they have a conversation explaining everything, Kacchan simply wants to help Akira when he won't help himself, and although it was done in poor taste (which only makes Kacchan feel more like a real, flawed person), Akira understands it and accepts the help. It's incredibly sweet and realistic. This is the focus of the entire episode too, it simply portrays the charm of a realistic friendship and only subtly introduces elements of its overarching story and other idol groups.
What ties it together is its visual presentation, which is also grounded and real. The show has some lovely character animation, it revels in mundane actions like Kacchan leaning too far back when sitting down and having to adjust forward. Detailed art direction bring individual locations like Akira's family bath house to life, and the series regular direction is also quite solid, be it capturing the allure of a quiet night during an intimate phone call, or Akira asking his mom if he can become an idol in front of a slightly open curtain, indicative of him just starting to open the door to new opportunities. Simply put, this show just looks good. Cloverworks productions have been seriously upping their game the last year or two. I might have a few issues with the one CGI performance that exists in the episode, which looked stuttery and uncanny to me (it looks like it may have been awkward mocap), but there's also a 2D dance sequence at one point that looks quite nice. And the lighting, color work, and other visual elements work in tandem to create the series grounded, realistic, and intimate tone. And hell, I absolutely love that Kacchan is a bit more heavy set compared to everyone else, he's neither fat nor ugly (he used to play baseball so he's presumably pretty athletic even) but he does have the kind of body type you don't tend to see in animated dramas, I'll always praise a show with a variety of body types. UniteUp! is just good, at least at the moment. Don't let the notion of a male idol show make you ignore this one, it's a fundamentally good drama that I can recommend to anyone.
What ties it together is its visual presentation, which is also grounded and real. The show has some lovely character animation, it revels in mundane actions like Kacchan leaning too far back when sitting down and having to adjust forward. Detailed art direction bring individual locations like Akira's family bath house to life, and the series regular direction is also quite solid, be it capturing the allure of a quiet night during an intimate phone call, or Akira asking his mom if he can become an idol in front of a slightly open curtain, indicative of him just starting to open the door to new opportunities. Simply put, this show just looks good. Cloverworks productions have been seriously upping their game the last year or two. I might have a few issues with the one CGI performance that exists in the episode, which looked stuttery and uncanny to me (it looks like it may have been awkward mocap), but there's also a 2D dance sequence at one point that looks quite nice. And the lighting, color work, and other visual elements work in tandem to create the series grounded, realistic, and intimate tone. And hell, I absolutely love that Kacchan is a bit more heavy set compared to everyone else, he's neither fat nor ugly (he used to play baseball so he's presumably pretty athletic even) but he does have the kind of body type you don't tend to see in animated dramas, I'll always praise a show with a variety of body types. UniteUp! is just good, at least at the moment. Don't let the notion of a male idol show make you ignore this one, it's a fundamentally good drama that I can recommend to anyone.
Spy Classroom
I love it when a show with a fun premise just delivers on all it promises. Spy Classroom is a show ripe with comedy potential that has, as of episode 1, delivered a funny and compelling little caper. The series follows a group of girls who are washouts from their spy academy, each of whom was recruited by one of the world's top spies to go on an Impossible Mission, a mission with 10% success rate and guaranteed death as punishment for failure. Said super spy is responsible for teaching these failures to be strong enough to be helpful and to survive, but is so naturally gifted at his job that he's incapable of providing any reasonable teaching explanations people can make sense of. And with the girls realizing how likely they are to die, they need to find a way to be taught. Thus ensues a charming little comedy as the girls slowly realize their situation and try to figure out what to do. To sum up the pitch, it's like Princess Principal meets Assassination Classroom.
The series has a very large extended cast which it does an admirable job of introducing the likable personalities of, but it smartly chooses to focus on just one of the girls for the moment, allowing us a strong emotional center and without overloading us with a massive cast right off the bat. Much of this episode is character introductions and build-up to the surprise that ends it off, and its strength of characterization and consistently fun humor allows it to be engaging all the way through. The series is also beautiful to look at, with detailed artwork and appealing character designs that really help bring the setting to life. I particularly love the outfits we see everyone wear when Lily and Klaus go into town, which are both fashionable and era appropriate. And it's nearly as impressive in terms of audio, as it has a cast of A-List seiyuu who all give great performances, and a really excellent soundtrack courtesy of Yoshiaki Fujisawa (who has quickly become one of my favorite modern anime composers). Spy Classroom is a great time with no caveats, and a show I think I can easily recommend to most people. Definitely a highlight of the season.
The series has a very large extended cast which it does an admirable job of introducing the likable personalities of, but it smartly chooses to focus on just one of the girls for the moment, allowing us a strong emotional center and without overloading us with a massive cast right off the bat. Much of this episode is character introductions and build-up to the surprise that ends it off, and its strength of characterization and consistently fun humor allows it to be engaging all the way through. The series is also beautiful to look at, with detailed artwork and appealing character designs that really help bring the setting to life. I particularly love the outfits we see everyone wear when Lily and Klaus go into town, which are both fashionable and era appropriate. And it's nearly as impressive in terms of audio, as it has a cast of A-List seiyuu who all give great performances, and a really excellent soundtrack courtesy of Yoshiaki Fujisawa (who has quickly become one of my favorite modern anime composers). Spy Classroom is a great time with no caveats, and a show I think I can easily recommend to most people. Definitely a highlight of the season.
This Is Why I Watch Anime
"Ippon" Again!
With every few passing seasons, I slowly come closer and closer to the realization that I kind of adore youth sports dramas. Perhaps it's because of all the blood, sweat, tears, and relationships I put into marching band in my own adolescence, but nothing screams "youth" like sports. From the very first scene in which 4 girls practice judo with smiles on their face in an empty room on a hot summer day, not even saying a word to each other and yet obviously in total sync and loving their time together, I was on board for this one. "Ippon" Again isn't reinventing the wheel, but it's damn fine at what it does, elevating itself with a thoughtful production and a commitment to its realistic style and tone, without failing to recognize what animation can add to a show's visual language. It stars a duo of lovable best friends who have obviously been through a lot together, their dialogue laden with so many oddly specific experiences and inside stories that I instantly bought the idea that they have been friends forever. Sonoda is a goofball who struggles to stay motivated through all the harsh training and physical injury of a sport like judo, while also being completely unable to abandon her love of the sport and how great it feels to execute what you want too. She's the one given the most character given that this episode was largely about her, and damn is she ever bursting with it. Anna, Towa, and Sanae are still plenty likable and/or interesting in their own right though, particularly with Towa seemingly being strong but alone and wanting friends to share in her unique passion with. The cast has chemistry and intrigue, a strong start for a show of this kind.
But as a sports series, it excels even further. The judo matches we see are animated with a visceral physicality, every move feeling both precise and weighty. While the series is generally consistently pretty and with good artwork, it has little spurts of standout animation and camerawork that truly elevate its matches into intense bouts of back-and-forth. There's one moment in which a character is losing but seemingly about to make a comeback, only to suddenly have the rug pulled from under them, the camerawork and animation making that shift in expectations just as disappointing for me as it is for the characters. These moments give me confidence that the series can deliver on intense judo matches, meaning it's at least fundamentally solid as a sports series. So it's good at sports, and its good at youth drama, so it's good at all it does. And to top it all off, it even has little personal flourishes that add tons of personality. The girls are all drawn a little thicker than you'd normally get from anime with an all-female cast, which might see odd at first given that they're playing a sport, but is both more realistic to how people tend to look and also makes sense given that said sport is judo where weight control is vital. They aren't cute in the way traditional moe girls are, they're cute in the way that real dorky high school kids are. There's also a scene in which Sonoda carries her bag around by laying the handle on her forehead and letting the bag fall behind her back, which is such a weirdly specific action that is also entirely in-character for her, making it even easier to buy into her as an actual person. This is show is very much my jam, and it's also excellent. Seems like it's going under the radar this season, but please don't let this gem pass you by.
But as a sports series, it excels even further. The judo matches we see are animated with a visceral physicality, every move feeling both precise and weighty. While the series is generally consistently pretty and with good artwork, it has little spurts of standout animation and camerawork that truly elevate its matches into intense bouts of back-and-forth. There's one moment in which a character is losing but seemingly about to make a comeback, only to suddenly have the rug pulled from under them, the camerawork and animation making that shift in expectations just as disappointing for me as it is for the characters. These moments give me confidence that the series can deliver on intense judo matches, meaning it's at least fundamentally solid as a sports series. So it's good at sports, and its good at youth drama, so it's good at all it does. And to top it all off, it even has little personal flourishes that add tons of personality. The girls are all drawn a little thicker than you'd normally get from anime with an all-female cast, which might see odd at first given that they're playing a sport, but is both more realistic to how people tend to look and also makes sense given that said sport is judo where weight control is vital. They aren't cute in the way traditional moe girls are, they're cute in the way that real dorky high school kids are. There's also a scene in which Sonoda carries her bag around by laying the handle on her forehead and letting the bag fall behind her back, which is such a weirdly specific action that is also entirely in-character for her, making it even easier to buy into her as an actual person. This is show is very much my jam, and it's also excellent. Seems like it's going under the radar this season, but please don't let this gem pass you by.
Endo and Kobayashi Live! The Latest on Tsundere Villainess Lieselotte
The long awaited return of this beloved modern hit, Vinland Saga is here again to continue its compelling saga of violence and forgiveness by introducing an arc about... farming? Yes, I've heard of the famous and infamous "farmland saga" for quite a while, and it does seem like it's going to make good on that promise. But the far bolder thing about this episode is its choice to focus entirely on a new protagonist and their harrowing story. Despite only knowing Einar for 20 minutes, I'm already totally invested in him, and this episode hits perfectly hard as a standalone story. Efficient dialogue and characterization allows it to flesh out not only Einar but also his family, and the story that follows lands every emotional beat in spite of the limited amount of time I spent with these characters. Beautiful and evocative visual presentation also helps capture all of Einar's complicated feelings, the staff haven't lost a beat in their transition over to studio Mappa. And this all for an episode lacking the series iconic protagonist. I'm excited to see how Einar's and Thorfinn's stories intersect and how Thorfinn will proceed given the ending of season 1, and this episode has already established a strong thematic follow-up to the first season. Sometimes, a story comes up with a premise so galaxy brained in its conception that I cannot help but stare in awe. Endo and Kobayashi Live is not only superficially clever in its incredibly unique and creative interpretation of what is essentially an otome game isekai, but it's also an elaborately dense set-up with so many avenues of appeal I don't even know where to start. I honestly have so much to say about this one that I might just dedicate an entire post to it, but I'll start here by just trying to sell it. Endo is a member of the broadcast club, a club that basically does nothing but waste time until the end-of-day announcements. Kobayashi is an energetic girl in the club who likes Endo and pushes him to play an otome game, mostly due to her love of the game's villainess character who meets a grizzly end if you beat the game normally. Since Endo is reluctant to play but also insecure about his dictation skills, Kobayashi suggests that they put the game on auto-play and give commentary and analysis as if they were sports casters, but the game's main love interest is able to hear their commentary as "the voices of the gods," and so Kobayashi and Endo use this opportunity to change the events of the game to save villainess Lieselotte.
I honestly think this premise is already an easy sell just due to how interesting an idea it is and how innovative it feels for this type of story, but there's so much more to this show that it's hard to talk about in so few words. On a surface level, it has very endearing characters with excellent chemistry. Both the game's characters and the real world's characters make for potential romantic pairings I find easy to root for. In the case of Endo and Kobayashi, I find it refreshing how few moments of "cute innocence" they have. The episode ends with Kobayashi inviting Endo to her house to play the game because her parents and sister won't be home, and when Endo asks if she realizes he's a guy, she refreshingly makes it very clear that she does. The story of Prince Siegwald and Lieselotte clearly parallels that of Endo and Kobayashi, and much like those two work to push the game's characters together, their friends in the broadcast club push to get them together. The result is essentially like 5 different layers of a story seamlessly coming together, there's so much happening but it calls no attention to it, which is an insanely impressive level of construction. And while the animation isn't particularly special, it still does its best to inject personality into its characters. While it might be jank, Kobayashi's character animation sells who she is just as well as her dialogue. And since the show is about commentary, great voice acting is necessary, so you bet your ass they got a bunch of A-list seiyuu all at once. Kana Hanazawa, Yuuichi Nakamura, Tomori Kusonoki, Kaito Ishikawa, Tomita Miyu, Jun Fukuyama, Tomokazu Sugita, what a stupidly stacked voice cast. I think this show is a great time with oodles of potential, and it might be the show I'm most looking forward to seeing where it goes.
I honestly think this premise is already an easy sell just due to how interesting an idea it is and how innovative it feels for this type of story, but there's so much more to this show that it's hard to talk about in so few words. On a surface level, it has very endearing characters with excellent chemistry. Both the game's characters and the real world's characters make for potential romantic pairings I find easy to root for. In the case of Endo and Kobayashi, I find it refreshing how few moments of "cute innocence" they have. The episode ends with Kobayashi inviting Endo to her house to play the game because her parents and sister won't be home, and when Endo asks if she realizes he's a guy, she refreshingly makes it very clear that she does. The story of Prince Siegwald and Lieselotte clearly parallels that of Endo and Kobayashi, and much like those two work to push the game's characters together, their friends in the broadcast club push to get them together. The result is essentially like 5 different layers of a story seamlessly coming together, there's so much happening but it calls no attention to it, which is an insanely impressive level of construction. And while the animation isn't particularly special, it still does its best to inject personality into its characters. While it might be jank, Kobayashi's character animation sells who she is just as well as her dialogue. And since the show is about commentary, great voice acting is necessary, so you bet your ass they got a bunch of A-list seiyuu all at once. Kana Hanazawa, Yuuichi Nakamura, Tomori Kusonoki, Kaito Ishikawa, Tomita Miyu, Jun Fukuyama, Tomokazu Sugita, what a stupidly stacked voice cast. I think this show is a great time with oodles of potential, and it might be the show I'm most looking forward to seeing where it goes.
Vinland Saga Season 2
And honestly, that's all I have to say about it. Vinland Saga has always been content to open on relatively unassuming episodes. While this one was far harder to watch than that of the first season, it's also very straightforward. It's excellence is quiet, though it may also stem from my excitement to continue this story that I love. My excitement for this episode is because Vinland Saga is a great show, and this episode felt like another episode of that great show. With the staff returning, I can't wait to see what all the fuss is about farmland saga.
Pokémon: Mezase Pokémon Master
I'm going to have to remind everyone that the name I eventually settled on for this blog is "full of bias." I always try to give the fairest opinion that I can, obviously nothing is objective here but I try to ensure my reasoning is nuanced. I'm not sure I can give too much in the way of nuanced reasoning for Pokémon though. I was born in 1998, the very year that the Pokémon anime was brought to my home country of America. It has been with me for literally my entire life. I've been a Pokémon fan since I was in Kindergarten, and over the years my love for the franchise has only ever grown. I only finished the new Pokémon Scarlet a month or so ago, and still continue to be captivated by this world. I've been following Ash's journey since all that time ago too. I may not have kept up with every episode as I got older, but I never truly stopped watching Pokémon. This is the end of Ash's journey, and that comes with extra sentimental baggage. This is the last 11 episodes that his journey will ever take. To put it lightly, I am not ready. That's the perspective I'm coming at this with. I'm in such a position where Pokémon can do almost anything and I'll probably be sentimental over it, and come up with some post hoc reason why it's well executed to justify myself. If you're not a long-time Pokémon fanboy, then you definitely won't get anything out of this that I do.
But Mezase Pokémon Master was made for people like me. It ups the nostalgia factor to a million. The OP is all clips of previous seasons, the ED is the season 1 ED. The episode opens on an adorable and hilarious scene demonstrating how close Ash and Pikachu have gotten, and its conflict is made of all the most classic Pokémon anime tropes. Team Rocket captures Pikachu in another electric proof net (and Pikachu spends the whole time looking extremely unamused), Ash beats them easily (with a bunch of his Pokémon from numerous regions), and Team Rocket schemes more about what to do. Ash stumbles on an injured Latias who was hurt presumably by a trainer, and heals it even while it seems afraid. All of these classic tropes make it familiar and nostalgic. But more importantly, much of the episode is just Ash walking around directionless and seeing cool Pokémon. That's all I need from this. Pokémon isn't about fighting, it's not about becoming the strongest or any kind of big plot; it's about interacting with these awesome creatures. Ash sees Pokémon from every region expressing tons of personality. He falls into a river and gets attacked by Magikarp, he has a scary run-in with a Beedrill, we see a Dewpider lazily floating down a river, we see a Bunneary hanging out on a Snorlax's belly, that's what I'm here to see. Mezase Pokémon Master is here to be the perfect nostalgic send-off to a character we've been following for over two decades, and it's perfect as such. I'm absolutely going to be crying by the end of this one. If you have even a hint of nostalgia for the Pokémon anime, you definitely won't want to miss Ash's heartfelt send-off.
But Mezase Pokémon Master was made for people like me. It ups the nostalgia factor to a million. The OP is all clips of previous seasons, the ED is the season 1 ED. The episode opens on an adorable and hilarious scene demonstrating how close Ash and Pikachu have gotten, and its conflict is made of all the most classic Pokémon anime tropes. Team Rocket captures Pikachu in another electric proof net (and Pikachu spends the whole time looking extremely unamused), Ash beats them easily (with a bunch of his Pokémon from numerous regions), and Team Rocket schemes more about what to do. Ash stumbles on an injured Latias who was hurt presumably by a trainer, and heals it even while it seems afraid. All of these classic tropes make it familiar and nostalgic. But more importantly, much of the episode is just Ash walking around directionless and seeing cool Pokémon. That's all I need from this. Pokémon isn't about fighting, it's not about becoming the strongest or any kind of big plot; it's about interacting with these awesome creatures. Ash sees Pokémon from every region expressing tons of personality. He falls into a river and gets attacked by Magikarp, he has a scary run-in with a Beedrill, we see a Dewpider lazily floating down a river, we see a Bunneary hanging out on a Snorlax's belly, that's what I'm here to see. Mezase Pokémon Master is here to be the perfect nostalgic send-off to a character we've been following for over two decades, and it's perfect as such. I'm absolutely going to be crying by the end of this one. If you have even a hint of nostalgia for the Pokémon anime, you definitely won't want to miss Ash's heartfelt send-off.
BOFURI: I Don't Want to Get Hurt, so I'll Max Our my Defense. Season 2
Sometimes, I don't realize just how much I missed a show until I get it back. Bofuri's first season was a pure delight, reveling in the camaraderie and fun of a bunch of dorks all playing a VRMMO together, and the absurdity of Maple's unconscious tendency to break the poorly designed and horribly unbalanced game world though her unorthodox thought process not trained by years of gaming convention. Season 2 picks up right where it left off and opens with zero fanfare, simply presenting its characters going on their own adventures through a Christmas themed game event. It's almost slice of life in its presentation, minus the fact that everyone's in a fantasy video game. It's pretty much just the same show, but the episode brings out its goofy appeal to the max right away. Maple pulls out her ridiculous armor monster powers and spends a quarter of the episode conversing normally and adorably while looking like an abomination, Sally and Frederica have another dual, Kasumi finds another ridiculous item, the devs continue to struggle to figure out how to balance the game over the OP nature of a single player without fundamentally changing its systems, and by the end, all the guilds we've seen have a sweet Christmas party. Maple even gets a rare and adorable reindeer costume. This was just a perfect Bofuri episode.
Bofuri revels in the weird particulars of its game world, and is best when it just leans into all the specific details in locations and powers that we come across. Of course there's a fluffy fantasy animal café that functions identically to a cat café, I'd spend all my time there if I could. Of course this game level doesn't have any day time version and it's always dark out, it gives it such a unique look and feeling. Of course there's a unique status effect from getting covered with honey, and of course novelty Christmas items give crazy stat boosts while looking totally out of place with any traditional armor. It's these weird little details that make New World Online look genuinely appealing and immersive as a game world even when the design of mechanics and overall balance is so messed up. I still want to play this game, I want to ride on Maple's ridiculous giant floating turtle and I want to cuddle with bizarre fantasy creatures. And beyond that, this season still looks excellent. Bofuri might be one of Silver Link's most impressive productions, which is admittedly a low bar for this studio, but the show still has really nice art direction and quite a few bursts of sakuga. Bofuri is what I look for in these MMO type shows, it's fun and creative and still has thought put into it and feels grounded. Maybe I haven't thought about Maple Tree guild as often as I could have, but now that they're back, the notion of new adventures with them makes me indescribably happy.
Bofuri revels in the weird particulars of its game world, and is best when it just leans into all the specific details in locations and powers that we come across. Of course there's a fluffy fantasy animal café that functions identically to a cat café, I'd spend all my time there if I could. Of course this game level doesn't have any day time version and it's always dark out, it gives it such a unique look and feeling. Of course there's a unique status effect from getting covered with honey, and of course novelty Christmas items give crazy stat boosts while looking totally out of place with any traditional armor. It's these weird little details that make New World Online look genuinely appealing and immersive as a game world even when the design of mechanics and overall balance is so messed up. I still want to play this game, I want to ride on Maple's ridiculous giant floating turtle and I want to cuddle with bizarre fantasy creatures. And beyond that, this season still looks excellent. Bofuri might be one of Silver Link's most impressive productions, which is admittedly a low bar for this studio, but the show still has really nice art direction and quite a few bursts of sakuga. Bofuri is what I look for in these MMO type shows, it's fun and creative and still has thought put into it and feels grounded. Maybe I haven't thought about Maple Tree guild as often as I could have, but now that they're back, the notion of new adventures with them makes me indescribably happy.
The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady
Don't let the long and generic title and isekai light novel status fool you folks, this one is a real winner. I will have to admit that I'm a complete sucker for a lot of what this has to offer, from complex and compelling political melodrama to romantic magical whimsy to a lesbian romance made of one chaotic dumbass and one straight faced noble, but this show offers the complete package for all it sets out to achieve. It starts with just a knack for excellent characterization. Protagonist Anisphia instantly swings out the gate full of big dreams and lovable personality. It took all of the first scene for me to instantly fall in love with her, she's a chaotic idiot gremlin with zero fucks to give about appearances and who just wants to fly and make people happy. She reminds me a lot of Chisato from last year's Lycoris Recoil, and considering how excellent a character she was, that only bodes well for this show. While Anis is the most instantly likable character, all of the major characters feel complex and fully realized just from what we see of them here, from Prince Algard's rage born from his distaste for the system of nobility that controls every facet of his life (and his obvious resentment towards his sister's more free attitude and ability to openly go after what she wants), to Euphyllia's well meaning and valiant but possibly misguided desire to rigidly stick to the systems in place despite her personal feelings, which I suspect are going to shift after the events of this episode. Anis' close friend Tilty is also a constantly tired introvert with bags under her eyes who's obsessed with curses, instantly perfect.
This characterization is serving to set up some very compelling melodrama, as each characters feelings towards the systems in place create obvious conflict. With the promise of revolution on the horizon and numerous details of intriguing foreshadowing, the potential for interesting conflict is vast. This solid writing comes courtesy of Oregairu's Wataru Watari, who is unsurprisingly doing a bang-up job on this script. But what I didn't expect was great direction from Shingo Tamaki, easily the most impressive thing he's been in charge of. Given that the competition is Ahiru no Sora and Aho Girl, this is a low bar, but it's nonetheless a very well directed episode. The animation shows a lot of complex emotions and characters never maintain a single emotional state on their faces, while big moments like Anis crashing a party and stealing the Prince's ex-fiancé while refusing to elaborate are given the gravitas to be a fantastical and romantic moment. It's definitely not perfect, the lighting is a little bland (a scene doused in sunset just kind of covers everything in orange for example) and the compositing can be awkward on occasion, but this is a step far above basically every other Diomedia production I've seen in terms of direction and animation. I'm very excited to see where this story goes, it's bursting with potential and has given me the confidence to think it will deliver. Maybe I'm just a sucker for anything with some lesbians in it, but this episode was simply excellent in nearly every area, and I cannot wait to see how the bells of revolution will toll. In perhaps the most isekai heavy season I've ever experienced, this one stands out as one of the strongest premieres even outside of this saturated genre.
This characterization is serving to set up some very compelling melodrama, as each characters feelings towards the systems in place create obvious conflict. With the promise of revolution on the horizon and numerous details of intriguing foreshadowing, the potential for interesting conflict is vast. This solid writing comes courtesy of Oregairu's Wataru Watari, who is unsurprisingly doing a bang-up job on this script. But what I didn't expect was great direction from Shingo Tamaki, easily the most impressive thing he's been in charge of. Given that the competition is Ahiru no Sora and Aho Girl, this is a low bar, but it's nonetheless a very well directed episode. The animation shows a lot of complex emotions and characters never maintain a single emotional state on their faces, while big moments like Anis crashing a party and stealing the Prince's ex-fiancé while refusing to elaborate are given the gravitas to be a fantastical and romantic moment. It's definitely not perfect, the lighting is a little bland (a scene doused in sunset just kind of covers everything in orange for example) and the compositing can be awkward on occasion, but this is a step far above basically every other Diomedia production I've seen in terms of direction and animation. I'm very excited to see where this story goes, it's bursting with potential and has given me the confidence to think it will deliver. Maybe I'm just a sucker for anything with some lesbians in it, but this episode was simply excellent in nearly every area, and I cannot wait to see how the bells of revolution will toll. In perhaps the most isekai heavy season I've ever experienced, this one stands out as one of the strongest premieres even outside of this saturated genre.
Closing Thoughts:
I feel like this is a strange season. Compared to most seasons, there's little that truly excites me outside of sequels or big franchises. Likewise, there's basically nothing that is complete and unwatchable garbage. Instead, the gradient is mostly made of series with plenty of potential and thus far varying levels of charm, a bunch of above average premieres all vying to be just good enough to keep watching. That's going to make my job harder unfortunately, there's far too much and lots of good stuff will have to get cut. The most interesting thing about this season I think is the abundance of fascinating fantasy shows. This season's isekai showings are among the most unique I've seen in a long time, even the worst ones are still watchable. But far more interesting is all the fantasy not inspired by narou-kei, this season is a joy for any fantasy fan tired of otaku targeted series. While romances are typically the most reliably good genre, this seasons offerings mostly fell flat for me. But while few of the first episodes blew my mind, many of them seem like they are slow burns that can grow into something excellent over time. There's an abundance of very promising shows, I hope that at least a few can live up to that.
Favorite OPs:
- The Fire Hunter
- Onimai (NSFW)
- High Card
- Kubo Won't let me be Invisible
- A Tale of Outcasts
- Saving 80,000 Gold in Another World for My Retirement
- Sugar Apple Fairy Tale
- Vinland Saga season 2
- "Ippon" Again
- Tomo is a Girl
- Chillin' in my 30's After Getting Fired from the Demon King's Army
- Revenger
- In/Spectre season 2
Favorite EDs:
- Onimai
- The Fire Hunter
- High Card
- Saving 80,000 Gold in Another World for My Retirement
- Bofuri season 2
- Handyman Saitou in Another World
- Kubo Won't let me be Invisible
- Farming Life in Another World
- Unite Up!
I feel like this is a strange season. Compared to most seasons, there's little that truly excites me outside of sequels or big franchises. Likewise, there's basically nothing that is complete and unwatchable garbage. Instead, the gradient is mostly made of series with plenty of potential and thus far varying levels of charm, a bunch of above average premieres all vying to be just good enough to keep watching. That's going to make my job harder unfortunately, there's far too much and lots of good stuff will have to get cut. The most interesting thing about this season I think is the abundance of fascinating fantasy shows. This season's isekai showings are among the most unique I've seen in a long time, even the worst ones are still watchable. But far more interesting is all the fantasy not inspired by narou-kei, this season is a joy for any fantasy fan tired of otaku targeted series. While romances are typically the most reliably good genre, this seasons offerings mostly fell flat for me. But while few of the first episodes blew my mind, many of them seem like they are slow burns that can grow into something excellent over time. There's an abundance of very promising shows, I hope that at least a few can live up to that.
Favorite OPs:
- The Fire Hunter
- Onimai (NSFW)
- High Card
- Kubo Won't let me be Invisible
- A Tale of Outcasts
- Saving 80,000 Gold in Another World for My Retirement
- Sugar Apple Fairy Tale
- Vinland Saga season 2
- "Ippon" Again
- Tomo is a Girl
- Chillin' in my 30's After Getting Fired from the Demon King's Army
- Revenger
- In/Spectre season 2
Favorite EDs:
- Onimai
- The Fire Hunter
- High Card
- Saving 80,000 Gold in Another World for My Retirement
- Bofuri season 2
- Handyman Saitou in Another World
- Kubo Won't let me be Invisible
- Farming Life in Another World
- Unite Up!
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